These are the latest cases and conviction from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Tuesday January 7, 2020

Phillip Walls, 27, blackmail

A man has made his first appearance at court charged with two blackmail offences linked to swingers’ websites.

Phillip Walls, 27, was bailed by Blackpool magistrates who sent him for trial at Preston Crown Court where he will appear on February 5.

Walls, of Withnell Road, South Shore, is charged with two offences of blackmail by demanding money from women he met on the Internet and then threatened to send sexual pictures of the women to their families.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between May 29 and June 8 last year.

Nathan Griffin, 39, driving with excess alcohol

A Lytham pub worker was more than twice over the limit when he crashed into another car.

Nathan Griffin, who had been working at The Taps, told police he had been drinking into the early hours and he believed he had fallen asleep while driving. Griffin, 39, of Freedom Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was disqualified from the road for 20 months, fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £32 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were called to an accident on Clifton Road South, St Annes, where Griffin had driven a Peugeot van into a car which was stopped on December 11 about 6.15pm.

Police found Griffin slumped over the steering wheel of the van which was sticking out into the road causing an obstruction and he told an officer he believed he had fallen asleep.

A breath test showed 78 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Adam Whittaker, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had been working at The Taps the evening before and after work had been drinking until approximately 3.40am.

He had slept in the works van he used and worked during the day.

Early evening he did not believe he had alcohol in his body so he drove.

He believed he then drifted off and collided with the other vehicle.

Griffin, who had worked for the same company for 20 years, had now lost his job.

Christopher Tweedie, 39, driving with excess alchol

A man was over the alcohol limit when he drank some cider after band practice.

Christopher Tweedie, a sales worker, 39, of Lightwood Avenue, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £246 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £32 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police stopped Tweedie as he drove an Audi with a female passenger onboard on Cookson Street on December 11 about 3am.

A breath test showed 40 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Mitch Sarangi, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had been to band practice and afterwards drank two cans of cider. Tweedie did not think he would be over the limit at all and got into the car confidently.

He worked in a sales department which involved travelling all over the country and there was now a question mark over his job.

Sally Reynolds, 57, driving with excess alcohol

A drink driver had her keys taken from her after another motorist saw her swerving about the road and wandering towards oncoming traffic in St Annes.

Sally Reynolds, who was almost three times over the alcohol limit said she had drunk a bottle of wine before driving to collect prescribed medication for her elderly mother.

Reynolds, a former shop manageress, 57, of Bournemouth Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was disqualified from driving for 24 months, given an 18 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £21 victims’ surcharge

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said on December 9 at 7.45pm a motorist was driving behind Reynolds who was in a Ford Focus on Queensway.

After seeing her swerving about the road the motorist went to her car when she stopped at lights.

She admitted drinking and he took her keys then parked up her car before calling police.

A breath test showed 93 microgrammes of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

Adam Whittaker, defending, said his client had no previous convictions.

In a report to the court, probation officer Cheryl Crawford, said that Reynolds cared for her 91-year-old mother who had breathing difficulties.

The day of the offence her mother was fine so Reynolds drank wine.

Her mother then became ill and a doctor prescribed medication for her instead of her going to hospital.

Reynolds had made the snap decision to drive to get the medication without thinking of the consequences.