These are the latest cases and convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Thursday, September 19, 2019

Here is today's round-up of cases from Blackpool Magistrates' Court.
Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court

Kevin Gould, 37, obstructing a train

A man accused of obstructing a train at Layton station made his first appearance.

Kevin Gould, 37, is alleged to have committed the offence on Monday, August 26, this year.

Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court
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Prosecutor Sarah Perkins asked for the case to be heard at crown court.

Robert Castle, defending, said his client would not indicate a plea at this stage.

Gould was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday, October 16.

Peter Diver, 54, drug-driving

A driver who attracted police suspicion when his car lights went on and off was found to have cannabis in his system.

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Peter Diver, 54, of Smithy Lane, Ansdell, pleaded guilty to drug-driving and was banned from the roads for 12 months, fined £80 with £85 costs, and ordered to pay £32 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor Sarah Perkins said police saw Diver driving a Nissan Micra car in Lytham town centre at around 1pm on Tuesday, March 26. She said he was at crossroads when his car lights went on and off – as did his hazard lights.

Police spoke to Diver after he stopped outside his home, with one officers smelling cannabis on him.

Diver admitted he had smoked three or four joints, with a blood test showing 9.1 units of cannabis in his system. The legal limit is two.

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Diver’s defence solicitor said his client, who had a clean licence, had only owned the car for around eight hours and had stalled it because he was unfamiliar with it.

Diver had physical problems after previously breaking his skull, neck, and spine, and occasionally used cannabis to ease the pain.

Christopher Arnold, 27, failing to provide a specimen of breath

A dad-of-two would not take a breath test at a police station after a roadside test showed he was more than three times the legal

drink-drive limit.

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Christopher Arnold replied: “I don’t like you,” to a police officer who asked if there was any medical reason he could not provide a specimen of breath.

Arnold, 27, a construction worker of Lothian Place, Bispham, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen.

He was sentenced to do 60 hours’ community service, banned from driving for 17 months, and ordered to pay £85 costs plus £90 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor Sarah Perkins said police spoke to Arnold at around 1am on Sunday, August 25 while he parked up in Wyre because somebody reported his behaviour as suspicious.

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Arnold admitted he had been drinking and a roadside test showed 107 microgrammes of alcohol in his system. The limit is 35.

But at the police station, he refused to take two tests required for evidential reasons.

Cheryl Crawford from the probation service said Arnold had been out to watch football with a friend and, when they went back to the friend’s home, they carried on drinking.

Arnold tried calling his partner, who had given birth five weeks earlier and was suffering depression.

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When there was no reply, he panicked. He got into his car and, on the way home, stopped to call again because he was so worried about his partner and two children.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said his client co-operated with the roadside test but said at the station the police would not let him call his partner, so he rebelled and refused further tests.

Christopher Glover, 31, criminal damage

A dad-of-three saw red when a guest from Blackpool’s Hangover Hotel ran into his home chased by other guests.

Christopher Glover chased the intruder back into the hotel and kicked a fire resistent door off its hinges.

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Glover, 31, of Cambridge Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £200 compensation.

Prosecutor Sarah Perkins said Glover followed a hotel resident back inside on Tuesday, May 28. He kicked the door with such force it flew off its hinges, Ms Perkins said.

Howard Green, defending, said Glover had lived around the corner from the hotel, which is in Shannon Street, and had a lot of trouble with the people staying there.

On the night in question, a resident was being chased by some people and jumped over Glover’s fence and ran into his home.

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Glover’s children were asleep upstairs, and Glover chased the resident back to the hotel.

Mr Green said Glover had offered to pay the hotel owner in full for the damage caused but, before he could, the owner sold the hotel to somebody else.