Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Samuel Omelia, 26, possessing cocaine and failing to stop

A former Fleetwood Town footballer has been handed a suspended jail term.Samuel Omelia –who has changed his surname from Christensen – admitted possessing cocaine when he appeared before District Judge Jane Goodwin sitting at Blackpool Magistrates Court.

Omelia, 26, of Whittam Avenue, Marton, also admitted failing to stop when driving a Vauxhall Corsa van when ordered to do so by a police officer.

He pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified under a ban imposed in April 2016 when he was also imprisoned for 16 months for a serious driving offence on Squires Gate Lane.

He admitted a further charge of driving without due care and attention and driving without insurance.

A charge of taking the van without the owner’s consent was not proceeded with by prosecutor Jim Mowbray.

Omelia was given an eighteen month jail term suspended for 18 months.

He was ordered to do 30 days rehabilitation and two hundred hours unpaid work for the community.

He was banned from driving for a further 12 months and must pay £115 costs.He also played for Clitheroe.

Dean Flackett, 28, sending a threatening message

A man who threatened to kill his former girlfriend among numerous messages he sent her has avoided being sent to prison.

Dean Flackett, a 28-year-old phones upgrades worker, of Dickson Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to two offences of sending a threatening message.

He was sentenced to an 18 months community order with up to 30 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work for the community and told to pay compensation of £150 to his ex plus £50 to the social worker with £85 costs.

Flackett was also put on a two year restraining order which bans him from contacting his ex except via the family court, solicitors or social services and from entering Huntley Avenue, Layton.

Presiding magistrate, Ian Robertson, told him: “The nature of the messages were vile.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said between October 11 and 13 Flackett repeatedly sent his ex messages.

The messages included a threat to kill her and to cut off the ears of a male friend of hers. On October 14 he had phoned social services and made a threat in front of one of the workers there.

Steven Townley, defending, told magistrates Flackett was upset because he said his ex would not let him see his child.

Sarah Franklin, 31, shoplifting

A 31 –year-old Blackpool woman has been jailed after staging a shoplifting spree.

Sarah Franklin, of Springfield Road, was jailed for 12 weeks after she admitted 13 offences. She targeted Marks and Spencer, McColls, the Co-op,Home Bargains, Heron Foods and Poundstretchers.

Alex Mann, prosecuting, said the goods which ranged from food to speakers were stolen to sell on.

“She is a persistent offender but does not prevaricate when arrested,” said the prosecutor.

Steven Townley, defending, told the court: “My client is realistic and pragmatic about where she is going.

“She has battled against drug addiction- heroin and crack cocaine- for 10 years.The offences show very little pre planning or sophistication.

Shane Fawcett, 43, possessing a blade in public

A man who got fed up with people knocking on his window went out into the street with a large kitchen knife.

Just before getting the knife from his home Shane Fawcett had been chasing two young boys aged about 11 or 12 down the road.

Fawcett, 43, of Rawcliffe Street, South Shore, pleaded guilty to possessing a blade in public.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said the owner of a beauty salon on Bond Street saw Fawcett, who she described as being in a frenzy, chasing two young boys who were shouting for help on October 27. One ran into her shop and she barred Fawcett from entering.

Minutes later she saw Fawcett in the street with a knife.

He approached a man she had been speaking to and the police were contacted.

When approached by police he said “lock me up” and produced the knife from the bottom of his jogging bottoms.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had been tormented by people knocking on a window at his ground floor flat and it had all become too much for him.

He had not brandished the knife at anyone.

Fawcett was bailed to appear for sentence at Preston Crown Court on November 28.

He must live at his given address and not contact the beauty salon owner or go within 50 metres of the salon.