Blackpool: From the courts 24-01-18

Connor Thomas, 25, assault and behaving in a threatening manner

A man accused of biting a door security officer and waving a pole around outside a Blackpool nightspot has appeared at court via the videolink.

Connor Thomas, 25, of formerly of Rathmore Gardens, Layton, now of no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault and an offence of behaving in a threatening manner.

The offences are alleged to have taken place outside Home HQ on June 17 last year.

Adrian Hollamby, prosecuting, said the trial was suitable to take place at a magistrates court.

Defence lawyer, Robert Castle, did not ask for bail for his client.

Thomas was remanded in custody towards his trial on March 2 by Blackpool magistrates.

Scott Bertram, 38, theft and breaching a conditional discharge

A man repeatedly targeted the same supermarket in Poulton to steal whisky from.

Scott Bertram, who had a long-standing heroin problem, then sold the stolen alcohol to fund his drug habit.

Bertram, 38, of Braemar Walk, Bispham, pleaded guilty to four offences of theft and breaching a conditional discharge.

He was sentenced to 170 days jail suspended for 12 months, put on a 12 weeks curfew from 2pm to midnight and ordered to pay £131 compensation.

Presiding magistrate, Donna Jackson, told him: “The court has taken a very dim view of your offences. You were at high risk of losing your liberty”

On three separate occasions in January Bertram went shoplifting at Booths, Poulton, stealing whisky totalling £168.

On November 5 he stole £19 of toiletries from TK Maxx, Blackpool.

Prosecutor, Adrian Hollamby, said that Bertram persistently offended at Booths.

He had 45 previous convictions on his record mainly for dishonesty.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client had been waking up having symptoms of withdrawal from heroin.

Bertram had been on a drug rehabilitation order but had not co-operated much with rehabilitation specialists.

He was now eager to accept the help they could give him.

Stephen Wilson, 29, racially aggravated assault

A man ran amok at a Blackpool garage after drinking 12 cans of lager and three pints.

Stephen Wilson made race-hate remarks and spat in the face of a taxi driver who took him to the service station.

He also pushed an assistant at the garage, damaged the door of the service station shop, jumped on the counter and then pulled over displays as he left.

Wilson, 29, of Bairstow Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault, assault, causing damage and making off without paying a taxi fare.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a taxi driver took Wilson and another man to Corton Beach garage, Central Drive, to get fuel for the man’s van which had run out on January 19 at 11.30pm.

The man and an Asian shop assistant were seen tussling over a can of fuel which the man had filled up but not paid for.

Wilson got out of the taxi, made a race-hate remark to the Asian driver and spat in his face before pushing the garage shop assistant.

Wilson and the other man then pushed and pulled at the shop door damaging it to get in.

Wilson jumped on top of the counter which the shop assistant had run behind.

Both men then left pulling over shop displays.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said his client had immediately admitted his guilt after being shown CCTV of the incident.

He was refused bail and remanded in custody to appear on February 21 for sentence at Preston Crown Court.

Christopher Lancaster, 28, breach of the peace

A man complained to police he had mental health, drug and alcohol problems but he could get no help for them.

Christopher Lancaster had to leave his girlfriend’s home because he was behaving badly but he told officers he was going back there even if he had to smash his way in.

Lancaster, 28, of Heathfield Road, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and was bound over in the sum of £50 for six months.

Liam Barnsley, 19, breaching restraining order

A teenager committed a crime on the day he was released from prison.

Liam Barnsley breached a restraining order for the fourth time when he communicated with a 16-year-old girl he was banned from contacting a couple of times.

Barnsley, 19, of Spencer Court, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order between December 12 last year and January 21 this year.

He was remanded in custody.