These are the latest cases and convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Tuesday, October 29, 2019

James Topping, 26, failing to comply with a Criminal Behaviour Order

A man breached a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) for the 15th time when he was caught begging in Blackpool.

James Topping, 26, of Bolton Street, South Shore, Blackpool, who appeared at court via the video link from Preston Prison, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a CBO by begging.

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

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said in November last year Topping was put on a two year CBO which banned him from begging in Blackpool town centre and other areas of the resort.

On August 12 a police community support officer saw him sitting outside McDonalds in South Shore.

A witness said they had seen Topping talking to a family there who had given him money.

Topping had 14 previous convictions for breaching the order.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had at times been homeless, had problems with his benefits and had a drug problem,

Topping had got mixed up and mistakenly thought the CBO only covered Blackpool town centre,

He had spent a week in custody in Preston Prison and was now getting treatment for his drug problem.

Emma Copeland,37, breach of the peace

A 37-year-old Blackpool mum rowed with he own daughter and threatened to damage her victim flat.

Emma Copeland of Reads Avenue admitted breaching the peace.

She was bound over the keep the peace in the sum of £100 for a year.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police were called after mother and daughter were heard having a confrontation. Copeland was arrested. Patrick Nelligan defending said: “My client had injuries as a result of what happened.”

Michael Aslin, 38, criminal damage

A man took offence at a joke told by a comedian at a Halloween party.

Michael Aslin left the party and returned home. His partner followed him later and when she arrived at the house on Wellington Road, South Shore, the couple rowed in front of the woman babysitting their three children.

Aslin , 38, had been drinking and he asked his partner to leave the property. She refused and Aslin then took his temper out on their TV smashing the screen with a shoe.

Aslin admitted criminal damage when he appeared before Blackpool Magistrates. The court heard that Aslin was already the subject of a community order with eighty hours unpaid work.

Aslin was given another 60 hours unpaid work and was told to pay £180 costs.

Marc Fareham, 47, theft

A man tried to deceive supermarket staff by paying for five items as he left the store.

However Marc Fareham had a collection of other stolen goods in two other bags he was carrying.

Fareham, 47, of Knowle Avenue, Blackpool admitted shoplifting £353 of goods from Sainsbury’s Red Bank Road store in Bispham.

Magistrates heard that Fareham was in breach of a suspended jail term.

Brett Chappell,defending, said that at one stage Fareham used up to seven bags of heroin a day.

“He used to be on the streets and as he cut ties with his former life and he people he mixed with,” said Mr Chappell.

“He now has a fixed address and has reduced his heroin intake to one bag every other day. “He was an entrenched addict but he is now getting there. There has been progress.” Fareham was jailed for ten weeks.

Gareth Jones, 36, assault

A man accused of two assaults who appeared in court via the video link has been remanded in custody.

Gareth Jones, 36, of Branstree Road, Mereside, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a woman and assaulting a male police officer.

The offences are alleged to have taken place on October 5, at Blackpool.

Prosecutor Pam Smith’s application for Jones to be remanded in custody was not opposed by defence lawyer Stephen Duffy.

Jones was remanded in custody towards his trial on November 22.

Craig Gilroy, 32, theft

A Blackpool man’s fight to end his addiction to Spice was revealed in court. Lawyer Brett Chappell told the town’s magistrates how Craig Gilroy had confronted his reliance on what he called an “horrific substance”. Gilroy, 32, of Park Road, Blackpool admitted shoplifting £53 of detergent from Tesco Express on Whitegate Drive.

Mr Chappell said his client stole to pay for electricity.

Gilroy was also in breach of a previously imposed suspended jail term.

He was jailed for 49 days.