These are the latest cases and convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Monday, November 11, 2019

Karl Fisher, 37, theft

A thief stole a handbag from a grandmother who was at a hospital’s accident and emergency department.

Karl Fisher snatched the bag as the grandmother helped look after her ill grand-daughter at Blackpool Victoria Hospital,

Fisher, unemployed, 37, of Selbourne Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was sentenced to an eight week curfew from 7pm to 7am and ordered to pay £200 compensation with £85 costs plus £90 victims’ surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Susan Greenwood, said: “You caused emotional distress to a lady who was obviously under distress because of what was happening to her grand-daughter.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a grandmother was at Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s casualty department on the evening of October 18, with other members of her family because her grand-daughter had become ill.

She put her handbag, which contained £520 in cash, under her chair in the department and CCTV showed Fisher taking it.

Fisher later took cash from the bag which he dumped in a garden in Burwood Drive near the hospital.

When interviewed by police he said he had been egged on to take the bag by a man he was with at the hospital.

He had 22 previous convictions for theft and similar offences.

David Charnley, defending, said his client, who wore a leg brace, had been in pain and been drinking because of the pain on the day of the offence.

Fisher had apologised for what had done and said it would not have happened if he had not drunk because of the pain.”

Radaslaw Topel, 31, drink-driving. no insurance and driving not in accordance with licence

A builder caused a crash involving two parked cars when he was over the alcohol limit.

Radaslaw Topel, a 31-year-old Pole, of Fordstone Avenue, Preesall, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol without insurance and not in accordance with his licence.

He was disqualified from driving for 20 months, fined £460 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £46 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a witness who lived on Trunnah Road , Thornton, saw Topel, who was driving a Kia, hit his mother’s car which was pushed into his vehicle on October 18, at about 8.30pm.Topel was detained by the witness until police arrived and a breath test showed 61 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Kameron Yousaf, defending, said his client had drunk some whisky and was on his way home when he collided with a parked car on the narrow road.

Daniel Boothman, 36, harassment

A 36-year-old Blackpool man has been remanded in custody charged with two offences of harassment.

Daniel Boothman of Alfred Street is allege to have sent a woman e mails and approached her when she was in her car.

Boothman pleaded not guilty and he will remain in custody until his trial on November 20.

Michelle McGregor, 37, burglary, assault, breach of bail

A woman has been jailed for si months after she admitted burgling the cafe at Blackpool North railway station.

Michelle McGregor, 37, got into the cafe after breaking a pane of glass at about 7 am.

One of the staff of the Pumpkin cafe arrived to open up only to find McGregor of Chapel Brow, Leyland, inside ransacking the contents.

McGregor threw a can of lager at the staff member and then escaped with stolen cigarettes and food.

Magistrates heard that police were called and later arrested McGregor in Blackpool town centre.

McGregor admitted burglary, assault and a bail act offence.

Her lawyer Patrick Nelligan told magistrates:” “his was not a sophisticated burglary.

“She was very drunk and hungry at the time.”

As well as being jailed McGregor was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £200.

Andrew Walsh, 36, drunk and disorderly

A drunken man called police and said he had overheard two men talking about stabbing officers.

Andrew Walsh was found on the tram tracks at Bispham and was rude and abusive to police trying to help him.

Walsh, unemployed, 36, of Luton Road, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

He was fined £40 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £32 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Walsh called police on October 21 at 11.20pm and said he had overheard two men at the tram stop talking about stabbing police officers.