Blackpool: From the courts 23-08-17

Timothy Smith, 41, driving with excess alcohol

A junior football coach was found to be four-and-a-half times over the alcohol limit after police discovered his Mercedes abandoned against the Esplanade wall at Knott End.

Timothy Smith was tracked down to his home by an officer who found him asleep in bed with his car keys nearby, after he entered the house when the defendant failed to respond to knocking at the door.

A breath test showed 157 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the legal limit.

Highways maintenance foreman Smith, aged 41, of Grasmere Road, Knott End, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was given an eight-week jail term suspended for 12 months with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service.

He was banned from the road for three years and ordered to pay £85 costs with a £115 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police found the car on July 31 at 11.30pm When asked, Smith said the car ran out of petrol so he left it.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said his client, a father-of-two with no previous convictions, was under extreme emotional stress because his wife, whom he had been with for 17 years, had asked for a divorce.

Here is Tuesday’s round-up of cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 22-08-17

Paul Gibson, 26, attempted rape

A man has made his first appearance at court accused of dragging a woman onto a garage forecourt in Blackpool and trying to rape her.

Paul Gibson, 26, of Dinmore Avenue, Grange Park, is alleged to have attempted to rape the woman, who is in her twenties, on Dickson Road on August 20 this year.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said the case must be heard at crown court.

Defence lawyer, Trevor Colebourne, said his client had indicated he would plead not guilty to the offence. He did not apply for bail. Gibson was remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on September 20 by Blackpool magistrates.

Sharon Ross, 45, theft

A woman who stole more than £800 of alcohol from a St Annes supermarket has been avoided jail.

Sharon Ross, 45, of St Annes Road North, St Annes, pleaded guilty to two offences of theft.

She was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £217 compensation with £40 costs plus a £20 victim surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Stephen Smith, told her: “That was an expensive day out. You have slipped back into bad habits here.”

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said on May 29 Ross and another woman went into Booths, on Heyhouses Lane, and hid £435 worth of alcohol in bags, paying for some cheaper goods but not the alcohol. The next day they returned to the same store and were caught stealing alcohol valued at £418.

Peter Manning, defending, said his client had kept out of trouble since being released from a prison sentence in 2013.

Ross had been persuaded into committing the two thefts by her accomplice, the court heard.

Troy Stokes, 20, drunk and disorderly and possessing cocaine

A man was arrested after being seen fighting with another man in Blackpool town centre.

Troy Stokes, a 20-year-old shift worker, of The Spinney, Anchorsholme, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and possessing cocaine.

He was given a 12-month community order with 50 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £85 costs plus an £85 victim surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Stephen Smith, said: “You need to sort yourself out.”

On July 23 at 3.50am, police saw members of the public trying to separate Stokes, who had cocaine on him, and another man.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, told magistrates Stokes had asked for help after his cocaine use increased in recent weeks.

Callum Quinn, 22, drunk and disorderly and possessing cocaine

A man struggled with door security officers after being evicted from a nightclub.

Callum Quinn, 22, of Sedbergh Avenue, Marton, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and possessing cocaine.

He was given an eight-week curfew from 8pm to 6am, a suspended prison sentence he was under – for aggravated taking of a car – was extended for six months and he was ordered to pay £85 costs with an £85 victim surcharge.

Quinn was ejected from the Home and HQ nightspot and arrested on July 29 after police saw him tussling on the ground with door staff.

Two small bags of cocaine were found on him when he was searched in custody.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had a row in the club with a man and when a doorman came to intervene Quinn was annoyed when he appeared to take the other man’s side.