Blackpool Magistrates' Court: Police officer punched and a smash and grab raid - The people who have been before the bench

These are the latest cases to be heard by Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.
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Police officer punched

The alcohol fuelled antics of a 43-year-old Blackpool woman put her in the dock.

District Judge Jane Goodwin sitting at the town's magistrates court heard how Amanda Ashton punched a police officer in the face when he tried to arrest her.

Blackpool Magistrates CourtBlackpool Magistrates Court
Blackpool Magistrates Court
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Ashton of Derby Road admitted assaulting the officer and racially aggravated harassment to a pub doorman.

She also admitted three drunk and disorderly offences.

The judge heard that Ashton was now living in a hostel under a strict regime designed to curb her drink and drug problem.

One of the drunken incidents involved her urinating outside Ma Kelly's on Talbot Road.

She also admitted criminal damage to a takeaway till.

She was given an 18 month community punishment with 30 rehabilitation days.

She must pay a total of £550 to her victims.

Smash and grab raid

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A man staged a smash and grab raid on a Tesco Express store in Blackpool.

Owen Turner used a brick to break a window in the early hours and removed £133 worth of alcohol.

CCTV was used to trace him and police recovered the stolen property.

Turner, 36, of Raikes Parade also admitted smashing a car window worth £150 and a shoplifting offence involving £14.93.

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District Judge Jane Goodwin at Blackpool Magistrates court sentenced Turner to a 24-week jail term suspended for 18 months.

He must pay compensation worth £533 compensation to his victims.

Council order breached

A man whose property was subject to a council order because it was unfit for human habitation tried to get round the law by leasing it out.

But the recipient of the five-year lease on Livingstone Road, Blackpool did not carry out the planned improvement of the property and turned it into a cannabis factory.

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District Judge Jane Goodwin sitting at Blackpool Magistrates Court heard how police raided the property and the cannabis grower was charged with cultivating the drug and awaits being dealt with at court.

Now the original owner Gurvinder Gidar, 63, of Palatine Road, Blackpool, has been found guilty after a trial of breaching the prohibition notice put on the property back in 2014 when it was deemed a fire hazard danger .

The court heard Gidar was in financial trouble and could not improve the house himself.

At one stage it was used by squatters and boarded up.

Gidar then had a lease drawn up by a local law firm which made no mention of the order.

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The lease said the lessee was responsible for bringing it up to council approval.

That was not done and each room in the former guest house was used for cannabis growth.

Gidar was found guilty of allowing the use of the building in contravention of the prohibition notice.

The judge was told Gidar contacted Blackpool Council to say he was no longer responsible for Council tax on the house.

He was fined and ordered to pay a total £1,032.

Sent to trial

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A bars manager from Blackpool has denied breaching a restraining order forbidding her from contacting her ex-partner.

Kimberley Warner, 35, of Braithwaite Street is accused of contacting the woman via What’s App and Snapchat in June and July.

Blackpool Magistrates agreed to bail her until her trial which will take place at Lancaster on September 22.

Alcohol-fuelled assault

A man who would binge drink the strong Italian liqueur Amaretto has admitted assault .

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Blackpool Magistrates heard how he would down upto four litres of it over two days.

Michael Harpley, 36, of Holmefield Road, Blackpool, was drunk when he assaulted his girlfriend on a train.

Other passengers tried to intervene and Harpley was arrested at Manchester Piccadilly station .

He admitted assault and was given a community punishment with unpaid work for the community and he must pay £95 costs.

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His lawyer Howard Green said: “He needs to address this type of drinking.”

Remanded in custody

A 35-year old man accused of assaulting a woman and attempting to strangle her has been remanded in custody by Blackpool Magistrates.

Glen Johnson, 35, was also sent for trial at Preston Crown where he will appear on September 7.

Johnson from Marine Drive, Morecambe, did not enter a plea.