Latest convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Thursday, November 15, 2018

Mark Bird, 37, drunk and disorderly

A man lashed out at members of the public in Blackpool town centre.

Mark Bird had been drinking and was also being antagonised by a group of youths at the time.

Bird, 37, of North Beach Apartments, The Promenade, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

He was fined £40 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Alex Mann, said a woman complained to police Bird had been aggressive in a pub on October 19, at about 8pm, and was pushing other people.

Officers saw Bird in the street pushing out at people as a group of youths taunted him.

Bird had appeared before a court several times this year for being drunk and disorderly.

Bird told the court: “I had a long day drinking and I had accommodation worries.

“There was a gang of thugs in the pub and I tried to avoid the situation.

“These kids then started on me on the way home. I’m sorry about what happened.”

David Leach, 46, theft

A man stole a woman’s purse when they were both patients at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

David Leach was spotted on the hospital’s CCTV and when he was searched in his bed £40 from the woman’s purse was found on him.

Leach, 46, of Pleasant Street, Lytham, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was sentenced to an eight week curfew to be inside his home from 8pm to 6am and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge.

Magistrates said he had targeted a vulnerable victim who had suffered ongoing.

Leach stole the purse containing house keys and £40 on October 23.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client’s girlfriend was a patient at another hospital.

He wanted to go and visit her but did not have any money, so he panicked and stole the female patient’s purse.

Craig Thompson, 48, criminal damage

A man smashed two glass panels in the windows of a neighbour’s door at their block of flats.

Craig Thompson was said to have been hitting out in frustration at the previous home of a woman who taught him bad habits.

Thompson, 48, of Martin Drive, South Shore, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

He was jailed for six weeks and ordered to pay £115 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Alex Mann, said a neighbour of Thompson’s at the block of council flats heard him shouting and banging on his door on October 23 about 3.30pm.

Thompson shouted: “If you do not open the door you will be gone in 60 seconds” before he smashed two reinforced glass panels in the door.

At the time of the offence he was on a suspended prison sentence imposed for two offences of harassing a former girlfriend.

Brett Chappell, defending, said his client had lived at his address for 11 years without any problem, but three years ago a woman had moved in and befriended him.

The woman had influenced Thompson into taking cocaine and drinking on a daily basis and he then started getting into trouble with the law.

The day of the offence he had been to see his probation officer.

He felt ashamed and afterwards went out drinking.

He then went and damaged the windows in the door of the flat where the woman had lived.

Thompson had now been told he was going to be evicted from his address.

Lee Wilson-Carroll, 21, possession of cannabis

A man who was found with drugs has been sent to crown court for sentence.

Lee Wilson-Carroll, 21, of Shaftesbury Avenue, North Shore, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis in Blackpool on May 10.

The court was told that at the time of the offence Wilson-Carroll was on a 10 months prison sentence suspended for two years imposed by a crown court for an offence of affray.

Wilson-Carroll was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on December 12.

Catherine Mahon, 37, theft

A woman accused of stealing toys valued at £117 from a Blackpool supermarket has appeared at court for the first time.

Catherine Mahon, 37, of Cheetham Street, Failsworth, Manchester, pleaded not guilty to theft of the toys from Asda on November 13 this year.

Mahon had her case adjourned to February 15 for trial.