Latest convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Friday, April 5, 2019

Here are the latest cases from Blackpool Magistrates' Court.
Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court

Christopher Kendall, 40, assault and breach of court order

A man spat in a police sergeant’s face as he was being booked into custody at Blackpool police headquarters.

Christopher Kendall, 40, of Alexandra Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to assault.

Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court
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He also admitted being in breach of a court order imposed for assaulting a woman police constable.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with six months alcohol rehabilitation treatment and ordered to pay £50 compensation to the police sergeant with £85 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Andrew Robinson, said Kendall had been arrested on March 17. at 3.15am. and was being booked in at the police custody desk when he spat in the custody sergeant’s face with the spittle hitting the side of the officer’s face.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said her client, who had been drinking, was extremely upset as he had been arrested on suspicion of an offence he had not committed.

He had not been charged with another offence.

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The defence added that when Kendall abstained from alcohol he did not commit offences and he would welcome help from rehabilitation specialists.

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Latest convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Thursday, April 4, 2019

William McAdam, 28, drink-driving

A drink-driver was caught by police after he was spotted going through a red traffic light.

William McAdam, a 28-year-old shift worker, of Brookfield Avenue, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 20 months, fined £385 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

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Prosecutor, Andrew Robinson, said police saw McAdam go through a red light in a Seat Ibiza on March 18, and stopped him on the resort’s Highfield Road.

A breath test showed he was more than twice over the limit with 71 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Kathryn Jamieson-Sinclair, defending, said her client, who had no previous convictions, had pleaded guilty immediately.

McAdam had not appreciated the alcohol he had drunk with friends at the pub would take him over the limit.

Phillip Potter, 36, drink-driver

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A driver who was over the alcohol limit was caught after police were tipped off by another motorist who flagged them down.

Phillip Potter, a 36-year-old father, of Horncliffe Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was disqualified from driving for 16 months, fined £392 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £39 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Andrew Robinson, said a motorist flagged down a police patrol car on March 17, at 9.05am, and voiced his suspicions the driver of a BMW had been drinking.

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Police traced the BMW, saw it swerving in the road and stopped Potter on Waterloo Road.

A breath test showed 59 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Potter told magistrates:”I woke up at my mate’s and I felt fine so I got in my car to drive home. Obviously I wasn’t fine.”

Richard Starkey, 26, drug-driving

A man caught drug-driving told a court he smoked cannabis every day.

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Richard Starkey, unemployed, 26, of Broomfield Road, Fleetwood, now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to drug driving.

He was banned from the road for 12 months and fined £120 with £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Andrew Robinson, said on February 13 at 10.30pm police stopped Starkey as he drove a Renault Kangoo on Lord Street, Fleetwood.

There was no criticism of his driving but the vehicle was showing as having no MoT. Starkey smelt of cannabis and admitted the had smoked a cannabis cigarette some hours before.

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A blood test showed 4.8 units of cannabis in his body - two is the limit.

Starkey told magistrates: “It’s all true. I smoke cannabis every day.”

He added that he was not on benefits and had no money.

He said he had lived at the family home but his parents did not like him taking drugs.

When asked how he could afford to buy cannabis if he did not claim benefits and did not work, Starkey replied: “I don’t buy drugs. I do things to get them, like cleaning a kitchen.”