Blackpool: From the courts 18-07-18

David Kyle, 50, illegal possession of shotgun cartridges and theft

Police found shotgun ammunition in the pocket of a jacket a thief threw down as he ran from a crime scene in Fleetwood.

David Kyle had previously been sentenced to eight years jail for a drugs offence and was therefore banned for life from possessing any firearm or ammunition.

Kyle, 50, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to illegally possessing two shotgun cartridges and theft of power tools from a van.

He was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment and ordered to pay £115 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Roger Lowe.

Prosecutor, Sarah Perkins, said a man heard his neighbour’s van door being opened at Fleetwood on December 10 at 4.40am.

Kyle ran from the van and discarded his jacket as the neighbour chased him.

Police later discovered two shotgun shells in the jacket and DNA from the garment linked it to Kyle.

The judge was told that Kyle had been on licence from prison at the time of the offences.

He was now being recalled to jail and may have to serve his full sentence, which would mean him being released in January 2021.

Hugh Pond, defending, said Kyle’s marriage had broken down when he was in prison and when he was released last year he was homeless. He had then spent his time sleeping on the streets or friends’ sofas.

Kyle had taken the shotgun cartridges out of curiosity. He did not have a shotgun.

Mark Salter, 48, assault

A shocked eyewitness called police when he saw a guest at Blackpool’s Marton Mere holiday centre assault a woman.

Police arrived at the site and traced the victim to her caravan where she gave an interview to the officer via his body cam.

Before Blackpool Magistrates was Mark Salter, 48, of Aspull near Wigan, who admitted three charges of assaulting the woman.

The court heard Salter had a caravan at the site.

The couple had been out to the site club with friends and Salter had drank far more than he did normally.

He appeared to have lost his temper when he became jealous after seeing his partner talking with a younger man.

On their way back to their caravan Salter lost his temper and assaulted her, including pulling out clumps of hair.

Salter must pay £524 in fines and costs.

Geoffrey Baldwin, 32, assault

A landscape gardener has been bailed pending his trial.

Geoffrey Baldwin, 32, of Princess Avenue, Poulton, has denied assaulting his former partner.

He also pleaded not guilty to criminal damage to her phone to the value of £200 and causing damage estimated at £150 to a window.

His trial will take place on October 3.

He must not contact witnesses or enter Ullswater Avenue, Thornton.

Alan Clixby, 32, drug-driving

A manager who was driving with cannabis in his body appeared to be trying to evade police when a patrol car started following him, a court was told.

Alan Clixby had started occasionally smoking the drug after suffering a number of personal problems including being made redundant and splitting up with his partner.

Clixby, 32, of Westbank Avenue, Marton, pleaded guilty to drug driving.

He was banned from the road for 12 months and fined £380 with £85 plus £38 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a police patrol saw Clixby pull out of a junction on Vicarage Lane at speed in the early afternoon of April 19.

Officers then described him as trying to evade them as they followed.

Clixby was stopped on Meanwood Avenue and at the police station a blood test showed 3.1 microgrammes of cannabis in his body - the legal limit is two.

Paul Robinson, defending, said his client had been working for a big retail chain but was then made redundant and his relationship with his partner had ended.

Mr Robinson added: “It was then he started using cannabis.

“He says he was not evading the police. He just realised he was going the wrong way. He had not used cannabis that day but the drug does stay in your system.”

Andrew Hopperton, 51, fraud

A man facing seven allegations of benefit fraud has asked for his cases to be heard at Crown Court.

Andrew Hopperton, 51, of Beech Avenue, Layton, pleaded not guilty to failing to declare to true level of his savings to two local authorities and the Department of Work and Pensions.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2011 and 2015 and involve a total of £14,906. Hopperton was sent for trial at Preston Crown Court on August 15.