Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, October 22, 2018

Here is the latest round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court.
Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, October 22, 2018Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, October 22, 2018
Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, October 22, 2018

Jade Wilkes, 27, allowing a child to pay truant

A woman who totted up her fourth offence of failing to ensure a child’s regular attendance at school was told she had narrowly avoided being sent to prison.

Jade Wilkes, 27, of Winton Avenue, Marton, pleaded guilty to allowing a child to play truant.

Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, October 22, 2018Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, October 22, 2018
Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, October 22, 2018
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She was fined £200 with £70 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Robert Wareham, told her: “The court considers the matter very serious.

“School is extremely important. We were considering custody but have taken a step back from that.”

Lynda Bennett, prosecuting for Blackpool Council’s Education Department, said the case concerned a nine-year-old girl, a pupil at Waterloo Primary Academy, whose attendance was 82.2 percent with 42 unauthorised absences between February 2 and October 2 this year.The pupil welfare officer was told on one occasion the girl was on antibiotics with a chest infection and another time she had been diagnosed with scarlet fever.

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Wilkes had three previous convictions for failing to ensure the child’s attendance at school and was being supervised by the probation service at the time of the current offence.

Trevor Colebourne, defending, said his client, who was pregnant, had done her utmost to get the girl to school.

The child had suffered from illnesses and every time she was ill Wilkes had rung the school to inform them.

Wilkes and her partner had split-up and the family had had to move home all of which had affected the girl.

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Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Friday, October 19, 2018
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A man allowed four children to regularly play truant from school.

James Kelly, 33, of Palatine Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to four offences of knowingly failing to ensure a child’s attendance at school.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, fined £49 with £100 costs and ordered to pay £85 victims’ surcharge.

Lynda Bennett, prosecuting for Blackpool Council’s Education Department, said the case concerned four children’s attendance at schools between February and June this year.

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A 15-year-old girl who was a pupil at South Shore Academy had an attendance record of 25.86 percent with 43 unauthorised absences.

A 12-year-old boy, a pupil at The Brambles School, Preston, had a 53.7 percent attendance with 54 unauthorised absences.

A 10-year-old boy, also a pupil at The Brambles School, had an attendance record of 22.83 percent with 108 unauthorised absences.

An eight-year-old boy, who attends Revoe Learning Academy, had a 40.1 percent attendance with 94 unauthorised absences. When visited by a pupil welfare officer a number of the children used foul language and one said he would kill the officer.

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The prosecutor said: “The children’s absences from school were described as having a significant effect on them and all four were said to be below their targets.”

Kelly had a previous conviction to failing to ensure a child’s attendance at school.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client accepted the attendance rates of all the children were below standard.Kelly had been present at the home for only a short time of the children’s education period being complained of.

He had split-up with his partner and was no longer a primary carer for the children.

Adam Waterworth, 26, driving with excess alcohol

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A drunken driver smashed into a bollard in the car park at a McDonalds.

Adam Waterworth, 26, of Stratford Road, St Annes, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.He was disqualified from driving for three years, fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Tracy Yates, said customers at McDonalds, Squires Gate Lane, heard a loud bang coming from the car park on September 29 about 4am.

Waterworth had hit a bollard in his Renault Clio.

He said he was fine when asked if he was OK then put the car in gear and started reversing.

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Police were alerted and turned off the car’s ignition. Waterworth told an officer: “I’m sorry. I’m just getting some food.”

Waterworth had a previous conviction for drink-driving in 2010.

Mitch Sarangi, defending, said his client knew he should not have driven. Things were going on in Waterworth’s life at the time and he was highly emotional.

When he was reversing he was not trying to flee the scene he was just getting the car off the bollard.