These are the latest cases from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Thursday, May 9, 2019

Paul Barraclough, 37, dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances

A former carer illegally claimed almost £7,000 in benefits when he did not reveal he had stopped looking after a man.

Paul Barraclough, a 37-year-old hotel worker, of Hawes Side Lane, Marton, pleaded guilty to two offences of dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances.

He was sentenced to a three months tagged curfew from 9pm to 7am and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Alex Mann, said Barraclough claimed £6,925 in carer’s allowance and income support between July 2016 and September 2017.

Barraclough’s claim had originally been legitimate but when he stopped caring for a man he did not inform the authorities and kept taking the money.

David Charnley, defending, said his client, who had no previous similar convictions, had suffered a back injury.

This meant he was no longer able to care for the other man and he should have alerted the authorities

Barraclough was now voluntarily paying back what he owed at £15-a-week.

John Martin, 35, breach of sexual harm prevention order

A man accused of sex offences involving children has made his first appearance at court.

John Martin, 35, formerly of Lytham Road, South Shore, now living at St Chads Road, Blackpool, is charged with two offences of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order by having incognito mode activated on his mobile phone and having installed an app on his phone which deleted data on the device.He also faces six offences of having indecent photographs of a

child, some at the most depraved level, and two offences of having a prohibited image of a child.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between May 2017 and January last year at Blackpool.

Prosecutor, Alex Mann, asked for the case to be heard at crown court.

Martin’s defence lawyer said his client would not indicate pleas to the offences at that stage.

Martin was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on June 5.

Amanda Love, 35, failing to ensure regular school attendance

A Blackpool mother has been fined for failing to ensure two children were sent to school regularly.

Amanda Love , 35, of Fifth Avenue, South Shore, was fined £120 and must pay £30 victims surcharge.

The court heard one child had 69 unauthorised absences and the other 83 absences.

Gary McAnulty defending told magistrates: “During the past year this family has gone through a great deal including the death of a sibling.”

Blackpool Magistrates have issued a warrant for the arrest for a man and his partner.

Andrew Round, 37, and Claire Stokes, 31, both of Trunnah Road ,Thornton, were both found guilty in their absence of failing to ensure a child’s attendance at school.

Aaron Wilkinson, 24, affray and Steven Wilkinson, 54, assault

Police officers thought they were going to be stabbed when a man came towards them holding an eight-inch knife above his head.

Officers had been called to the address in Lockerbie Avenue, Anchorsholme, where a father and son were involved in a fracas.

Aaron Wilkinson had threatened to harm himself with the knife and his dad Steven Wilkinson disarmed him.

Officers used a stun-gun and pepper spray on the son after he picked up the knife again.

Wilkinson, 24, of North Drive, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to affray and Steven Wilkinson, aged 54, of Lockerbie Avenue, Anchorsholme, who is boss of a company which refurbishes snooker tables, admitted assaulting an emergency worker.

Prosecutor, Alex Mann, said a woman rang police on April 20 about 9pm and said Aaron Wilkinson was trying to harm himself at his father’s address.

The father had disarmed his son when officers arrived. Steven Wilkinson then asked why the officers were there and pushed one officer in the chest.

The son then picked up a knife again and held it above his head. An officer believed he and his colleagues were going to be stabbed.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said neither father or son knew a woman had called the police.

The son had put the knife down when officers arrived.

When his dad was arrested the son picked up the knife again and threatened to harm himself.

Since the incident, the son who suffered from mental health issues, had been prescribed medication by his doctor. Both defendants were bailed for pre-sentence reports.