Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Friday, February 01, 2019

Kyle Sweet, 19, child sex offences

A teenager has made his first appearance at court accused of child sex offences.

Kyle Sweet is charged with six offences involving a 14-year-old girl, which are said to have taken place between January 8 and 29 at Blackpool.

Sweet, aged 19, of Knowsley Avenue, Blackpool, faces two offences of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

He is also accused of one offence each of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity and causing a child to look at images of sexual behaviour.

In addition, he is charged with engaging and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Sweet was refused bail and remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on February 27.

Daniel Ancuta, 23, drug driving

An interpreter was over the drug driving limit when police stopped his car in St Annes.

Daniel Ancuta, 23, of Warley Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to drug driving.

He was banned from the road for 12 months, fined £180 with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Tracy Yates said on November 24 at 1am police saw Ancuta’s BMW driving erratically on Clifton Drive, St Annes.

He was stopped and a blood test showed 8.2 units of cannabis in his body – 2 is the limit.

Paul Robinson, defending, said his client, who had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, worked as a Romanian interpreter travelling to courts, police stations and hospitals.

The day before he had to give a Romanian patient in hospital bad news.

This affected Ancuta so badly he used some cannabis.

Stephanie Burdekin, 37, assaulting emergency workers

A suicidal prisoner attacked two guards who were trying to stop her hurting herself at Blackpool police station’s detention centre.

Two detention officers were trying to get Stephanie Burdekin to put on an anti self-harm suit when she kicked one of them in the ribs.

It caused the victim to hit her head on the custody desk and then the floor.

Burdekinthen bit the other officer on the hand.

The 37-year-old, of Branstree Road, Mereside, pleaded guilty to two offences of assaulting an emergency worker.

She was sentenced to a 12 month community order with up to 25 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, fined £40 and ordered to pay £100 compensation to each guard.

Prosecutor Tracy Yates said on January 10 Burdekin was taken into custody on suspicion of breaching the peace.

Officers monitoring her on CCTV believed she was going to harm herself and went to intervene when she lashed out.

Martin Hillson, defending, said his client had mental health difficulties.

She had only wanted to harm herself, not the detention officers, and had apologised to them, he added.

Michael Jones, 55, drink driving

A man who was more than three times over the alcohol limit told police he believed his former girlfriend had reported him.

Michael Jones, a 55-year-old furniture recycling worker, of Hodder Avenue, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was sentenced to a 12 month community order with up to 10 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work for the community, banned from the road for 26 months and ordered to pay £85 costs with an £85 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Tracy Yates said on January 9 at 8.15am police received information the driver of a Ford Transit van was over the limit.

Jones was stopped on Hatfield Avenue and a breath test showed 117 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

He told a police officer he and his girlfriend had split-up and he blamed her for making the call to police.

Paul Robinson, defending, said Jones was upset over the break-up.

He had been drinking on an empty stomach the night before, stopping around 1am and had not given enough time before driving the van for the alcohol to leave his system.

In a report to the court, probation officer Lauren Austin told magistrates Robinson had been expecting his ex to come round and got upset and started drinking cider when he was told she was not coming.

The couple had now reconciled.