Blackpool: From the courts 19-01-18

Denise Emmerson, 65, failed to provide a breath specimen

A medical secretary who crashed into a parked car told police she had had “a little accident and a little bit to drink.”

Denise Emmerson then became aggressive with an officer telling him “arrest me then,” after she refused to take a roadside breath test.

Emmerson, 65, of Holmfield Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen for alcohol testing.

She was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, disqualified from driving for 24 months, fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police attended an accident on the resort’s Eaves Street on December 30 at 6.28pm where Emmerson had crashed her Fiat into a parked Vauxhall Corsa, blocking the road.

She smelt strongly of alcohol and was unable to sit in the back of the police car without falling about.

Emmerson would not take a roadside breath test and refused to give the two required specimens at the police station.

She had a previous drink-driving conviction from 1998 and a previous conviction for failing to provide a breath specimen in 2003.

Paul Robinson, defending, said his client, a medical secretary for a GP’s practice, had drunk a small amount of wine some time before setting off to drive to her daughter’s.

On the way she misjudged a gap between her car and a parked car.

Damian Sharp, 30, drunk and disorderly

A drunken man’s behaviour became so bad police were forced to pepper spray him.

Damian Sharp had to be stopped from driving after drinking and he shouted at officers: “Plod have ruined my life.”

Sharp, a 30-year-old plasterer, of Newhouse Road, Marton, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

He was given a 12-months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs with £20 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were called to Marton View on December 27, where Sharp was said to want to drive off in a Vauxhall Corsa after drinking.

Police found him in the driver’s seat and described him as intoxicated. He was visibly upset and held out his hands saying: “Just take me mate.”

Sharp said he was going to drive and was told he should not. He then told officers: “Try and stop me and I’ll take you for 20 spins round the block.”

He then got into another man’s car but continued to shout at police saying he would ‘put them on their backsides.’ He was arrested and his behaviour became so aggressive police had to pepper spray him.

Sharp told magistrates that he had been going through the breakdown of his relationship with his partner and over Christmas had not seen his daughter.

Terence Hayes, 72, drink-driving

Staff at a Blackpool hotel alerted police about a pensioner they had ejected from their premises who had been drinking and appeared to be preparing to drive off the car park.

Terence Hayes was then stopped by police as he drove a Fiat Silo along the resort’s Queens Promenade.

Hayes, 72, of Queen Street, Clayton-le-Moors, Accrington, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for three years, fined £210 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said staff at the Norbreck Castle Hotel alerted police on December 29 at 11.35pm, that a man and a woman they had ejected were preparing to drive their car off the hotel car park.

They were both holding a bottle of vodka and were loading belongings into a car before Hayes got behind the wheel and set off.

A breath test showed 51 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

He had a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol from 2011.

Paul Robinson, defending, said his client’s home had been damaged by fire and was in the process of being rebuilt, so Hayes and his wife chose to relocate to Blackpool staying at hotels.

They had booked into the Norbreck Castle but had been asked to leave by the manager following an incident with a toaster in their room.

Boy, 14, breach of bail conditions

A 14-year-old Marton boy has appeared in custody at court before a judge.

The boy, who can not be identified for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a condition of his bail.

District Judge James Hatton agreed to rebail him to the resort’s youth court.