Court rejects curfew change for Jools gig

Tracey Orange, a divorced mother-of-two, 44, of Mornington Road, Lytham, had been sentenced to a 10-week tagged curfew between 9pm and 6am by a judge on October 29 for an offence of illegally claiming benefits.

Defence lawyer, Ashley Fisher, applied for Orange’s curfew to be lifted on December 19 so she could go to a Jools Holland concert at the Apollo in Manchester.

Orange’ s boyfriend, unbeknown to her, had bought tickets for the concert eight months ago as part of her Christmas present, the court was told.

A court was told previously that Orange admitted illegally claimed £2,845 in council and housing benefit from Fylde Council between May 2012 and April this year after failing to reveal she worked as a supply teacher and also the amount of hours she had worked as a carer.

Blackpool magistrates ruled they would not vary her curfew.

Presiding magistrate, John Boyle, told her: “This sentence is a punishment.

“It does not matter how much you like Jools Holland - this is not a matter of life or death or a family emergency.”