Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, February 04, 2019

Joseph Bradley, 29, possession of a class B drug

A man who made police suspicious when he kept putting his hands near his groin turned out to have a tub of cannabis in his boxer shorts.

Joseph Bradley, 29, of Willowbank Avenue, South Shore, pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a class B drug.

He was fined £85 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Tracy Yates, said on November 15 police spoke to Bradley after seeing him driving a Nissan Juke on Highfield Road.

Bradley was in the back of the police car and an officer could smell cannabis on him.

He was searched and a tub containing cannabis was found in his boxers.

Allan Cobain, defending, said his client was a cannabis user and the small amount of the drug police found on him was for his own use.

Andrew Waggett, 32, driving with excess alcohol

An Army Corporal was more than twice over the limit when he drove after an argument with his wife.

Andrew Waggett told a police officer he had intended to drive two hours to his Army base in North Yorkshire.

Waggett, 32, of Stamford Avenue, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 20 months, fined £410 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £41 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Tracy Yates, said on January 12 at 3.15am police saw Waggett in a Ford Focus go through red traffic lights at speed on Common Edge Road.

When stopped he told police he had argued with his wife.

He admitted being drunk and said he intended to drive to North Yorkshire.

Waggett was handcuffed because he kept walking away from the officer, who thought he might run off.

Paul Robinson, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, was a Corporal driver in the Royal Logistic Corps.

Waggett would at least be demoted to a private because of the conviction and may even be discharged from the Army because his job was primarily driving.

The night of the offence he had gone to bed and had no intention of driving.

He then rowed with his wife and got into the car intending to drive to his mother’s home in Blackpool, not Yorkshire as he had told the police officer.

Levi Wilson, 32, possession of cocaine

A man’s birthday celebrations at a nightclub in Blackpool were ruined when he was arrested and found with drugs.

Levi Wilson, unemployed, 26, of Eversleigh Street, Preston, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine.

He was fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Tracy Yates, said on November 28 at 1.20am police were called to Home and HQ nightclub and Wilson was among a number of people arrested.

Wilson, who had nine previous drug convictions, produced a bottle cap containing a wrap of the class A drug cocaine.

John Lee, defending, said his client was celebrating his birthday in the resort with friends and was nothing to do with the altercation in the nightclub.

It was when he was in the police station he revealed he had some drugs.

Bryan Ward-Smith, 35, theft

A man was caught by a shop assistant after stealing from a supermarket on New Year’s Eve.

Bryan Ward-Smith, unemployed, 35, of Osborne Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to theft of £30 worth of food and coffee.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Tracy Yates, said on December 31 at 10.20am the alarm was given at the resort’s Tesco Express as Ward-Smith left the shop without paying.

A shop worker caught him in a nearby alley and found the goods he had stole from the shop in a bag.

Ward-Smith told police had had intended to sell the goods as he had been on a bender the night before and needed drugs.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client had been taking prescription drugs the night before the offence.

Ward-Smith had had issues with street drugs but was now getting help from rehabilitation specialists.