These are the latest cases and convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Nikolas Davies, 19,failing to comply with a community order

A grieving teenager who was rocked by the deaths of his best friend and his uncle and breached a court order for the fourth time has escaped being sent to prison.

Nickolas Davies missed two appointments to do court ordered unpaid work for the community.

Davies, 19, of Loftus Avenue, Marton, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a community order.

He was ordered to do an extra 40 hours payback work.

Presiding magistrate, Brian Topping, told him: “We discussed custody because it is a serious situation you are in. There is every possibility you will go to prison if you breach this again.”

Cheryl Crawford, prosecuting for the probation service, said Davies had been sentenced to a 12 months community order and eventually a total of 74 hours payback work for offences of threatening behaviour and causing damage.

On August 25, and September 1, he had failed to attend his appointments for the work and he still had 43 hours to complete.

Ms Crawford added: “This is his fourth breach of his sentence for the original offences.”

Brett Chappell, defending, said in August his client’s best friend had been brutally assaulted which led to his death and his uncle had also died.

Mr Chappell added: “This left an indelible tarnish on him. It impacted on him mentally and physically.

“He was depressed and buried his head in the sand instead of speaking to probation. He has now seen his GP and is having counselling.”

Joe Mahoney,25, failing to comply with a community order

A father got in trouble with the law after he prioritised his employment over payback work ordered by a court.

Joe Mahoney, 25, of Wellogate Gardens, South Shore, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a community order.

He was fined £50 and ordered to pay £60 costs.

Cheryl Crawford, prosecuting, said Mahoney was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation and 40 hours unpaid work for the community for offences of assault and damage.

On July 26, and August 21, Mahoney failed to attend his appointments to do the payback work.

He had so far completed 27 hours unpaid work.

Brett Chappell, defending, said his client decided a life of crime was no longer for him and for the first time in some time he got a job.

He worked in a warehouse in Kirkham in the daytime and also at a pub nights and weekends.

Paul Sproat, 34, theft

A son who stole a suit because he had nothing suitable to wear to his mother’s funeral was freed by a court to attend her funeral yesterday.

Paul Sproat, 34, of Sandridge Place, South Shore, appeared from custody and pleaded guilty to stealing a £67 suit from Primark.

He also admitted breaching post prison sentence supervision when he missed two appointments with his probation officer.

Sproat was sentenced to a four weeks curfew from 8pm to 8am and fined £40 with £32 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Sproat was caught by Primark staff on Saturday, after he took a suit and did not pay for it.

When interviewed by police Sproat said: “I was only stealing as I didn’t have something to wear for mum’s funeral. I did not have any money.”

Patrick Nelligan, defending, told magistrates: “It is his mum’s funeral today at 1pm at Carleton Crematorium.

“He had no proper clothing to wear. He told me he always felt he let his mum down and he did not want to let her down at her funeral.

“However he is dressed I think he needs to be there.”

Sarah Bee, 28, breach of a community order

A woman failed to keep in touch with the probation service after she was evicted from a friend’s house in Fleetwood.

Sarah Bee, 28, formerly of Mount Street, Fleetwood, now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to breaching a community order.

She was fined £50 and ordered to pay £60 costs.

Cheryl Crawford, prosecuting for the probation service, said Bee had been sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 15 days rehabilitation and nine months drug rehabilitation for 12 offences of shoplifting.

Three times in September she failed to keep appointments with probation officers and did not provide evidence for her absences.

Hugh Pond, defending, said his client had been living in Mount Road at a friend’s home but they fell out. Bee had been evicted and was sofa-surfing so she did not receive correspondence from the probation service about appointments.