Blackpool: From the courts 30-03-16

Timothy Lewis, 38, theft

A man committed what a court heard was a “despicable” crime when he snatched a purse from the hand of an 80-year-old woman.

Drug addict Timothy Lewis ran off from the woman whom he had distracted by asking her the time outside a shop in Knott End.

Lewis, 38, of Arnside View, Knott End admitted the theft.

Sentencing Lewis to a six month suspended jail term and a drug rehabilitation order, district judge Philip Barnes told him: “The only reason you are not going straight to prison is that you have managed to keep out of trouble for a decade.”

David Charnley, defending, told the hearing: “What he did was despicable behaviour and he has shown great remorse for stealing from this pensioner.”

Simon Collier, 25, assault

A customer in a Blackpool bar was left with stitches above his eye after being punched.

Simon Collier, 25, of Crossways Farm Bungalow, Whetstone, Leicester, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.

He was sentenced to 26 weeks jail, suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community and told to pay his victim £200 compensation with £85 costs plus £115 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a man in the Walkabout bar was standing near the bar counter on January 7 at 2.30am, when a group of men asked him what he was staring at.

Collier suddenly punched him once in the face.

The victim was taken to hospital where he received stitches to a wound above his eye.

Amanda Banks, 46, failing to ensure a child’s attendance at school

A 12-year-old girl missed school so she could care for her mother a court was told.

Amanda Banks, a 46-year-old civil servant, of Deneway Avenue, Layton, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure a child’s attendance at school.

She was fined £95 with £120 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Lynda Bennett, prosecuting for Blackpool Council, said the case concerned Banks 12-year-old daughter who was a pupil at Montgomery High School.

The girl’s attendance rate was 81.5 percent and she had 24 unauthorised absences between September 22 last year and January 22 this year.

The school pupil welfare officer made several home visits but despite leaving notes Banks failed to contact the officer.

Banks, a widow, said she had suffered multiple strokes and her daughter was her only carer at the time of the offence, which would account for her absences from school.

She added that after her strokes she had not been able to communicate very well and had not contacted the pupil welfare officer.

Banks said she now had other care help in place and added: “I think I have made it clear to her education is more important than my welfare.”

Louise Randles, 25, failing to ensure a child’s regular attendance at school

A single mother who was having difficulties with accommodation could not get her two sons to school at times.

Louise Randles, 25, of Central Drive, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to ensure a child’s regular attendance at school.

She was fined £120 with £120 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Lynda Bennett, prosecuting for Blackpool Council, said the case involved Randles’ two sons, one aged seven the other eight, who were both pupils at Anchorsholme Primary School.

The younger boy’s attendance rate was 78.65 percent and the elder boy’s was 79.69 percent between June last year and January this year.

Both boys had 37 unauthorised absences.

The pupil welfare officer said the boys’ attendance declined after they moved address.

They often arrived late and sometimes reported they had not eaten breakfast.

Randles failed to make contact with the officer on a number of times.

An auntie was said to be caring for the boys at times and on one occasion police were called to Randles address, while she was not present, about a complaint of anti social behaviour there.

Randles said the family now had permanent accommodation, were soon moving to Ansdell Road in the resort and the boys were changing schools to one much nearer where they would live.

She added: “Before it was getting too much every day. Most of the absences were because we were late.”