These are the latest cases and convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Victoria Taylor, 28, assault

A family fall out between two female cousins ended in what a court heard was a sustained and repeated assault.

Mum-of-three Victoria Taylor, 28, of Grenfell Avenue, Blackpool, admitted assault and sending her victim a series of offensive text messages.

Magistrates heard how the woman was at home doing her make-up when Taylor burst into the house.

She punched her in the face, causing her nose and ears to bleed. She then put her hands around her victim’s neck.

She told the woman: “I am going to get a knife and slit your throat.”

The victim managed to get free but lost her balance and fell down the stairs before fleeing the property, the court heard. She then sought refuge at neighbour’s who called the emergency services.

Trevor Colebourne, defending, said: “There had been a fall out between cousins. My client admits she behaved wrongly.”

Magistrates sentenced Taylor to 11 weeks jail suspended for a year.

She was given a year-long restraining order.

She must do 50 hours unpaid work and pay her victim £100 compensation and £85 court costs.

Scott Needham, 30, drug driving

A driver was found with a high level of drugs in his system at Blackpool after police became concerned about the condition of his car.

Scott Needham, 30, of Chartwell Close, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, pleaded guilty to three offences of drug driving.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 100 hours unpaid work, banned from driving for 24 months and ordered to pay £40 costs with a £90 victim surcharge.

Presiding magistrate James Dickinson told him: “This is very serious. You were way, way over the limit.”

Prosecutor Pam Smith said on June 21 police saw Needham driving a Peugeot on Squires Gate Lane that was in an extremely poor state of repair.

An officer could smell cannabis in the car and a drug wipe at the roadside on Needham was positive.

A blood test showed 772 units of the cocaine derivative Benzoylecgonine, 54 units of cocaine and 4.6 units of cannabis. The legal limits are 50, 10 and two respectively.

David Charnley, defending, said at the time his client was having difficulties and was medicating himself with drugs. Needham’ s life was now back on track and he had a job as a construction labourer.

Sarah Bee, 28, shoplifting

The tragic upbringing of a 28-year-old woman caught shoplifting was described in court by her lawyer

Sarah Bee was one of 16 brothers and sisters. Her brother was murdered and her mother died three weeks later, defence lawyer Hugh Pond said.

Bee, from Fleetwood, currently of no fixed address, was jailed for seven days after admitting shoplifting.

She stole £100 of stock from the Savers store on Lord Street, Fleetwood.

Her lawyer said she was released from a short prison term “without any money and without any methadone she needs to replace her heroin habit”.

Her benefits were paid into her boyfriend’s account because has no ID to set up her won account, he added.

The lawyer said: “Her boyfriend has been sent to prison so she has no access to that money. If she is sent back to prison at least she will be warm and get fed.”

Ian Peckett, 35, assault

A man has admitted a drink-fuelled assault.

Ian Peckett, 35, of Garden Terrace, South Shore, rowed with his partner after a night drinking in the pub and threw a plate at her, magistrates heard.

Peckett had a long established drink problem and he was placed on a six-month community order with an alcohol rehabilitation requirement. He must pay £152 in fines and costs.

His lawyer, Brett Chappell, told the court: “This man was brought up in a violent household. He has no recollection of what happened on the night of the assault but he accepts what he has been told did happen and admits the assault.”

Girl, 14, possession of knife in public

A 14-year-old Blackpool girl has appeared before magistrates accused of possessing a knife in public.

The teen, who cannot be named, admitted having a kitchen knife in the Coral Island complex on December 29. She further admitted criminal damage at Coral Island after breaking a window worth £150.

She was remanded on bail pending her appearance before Blackpool Youth Court on Thursday.