Latest convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Here is the latest round-up of cases from Blackpool Magistrates' Court.
Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court

Colin Clapp, 33, breach of Criminal Behaviour Order

A prolific beggar in Blackpool found himself in trouble with the law after going to buy a coffee.

Colin Clapp said he was cold after walking along the beach and he strayed into an area he was banned from when he went to get the hot drink.

Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court
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Clapp, 33, of Sherbourne Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

He was bailed for pre-sentence reports.

The court was told Clapp was made the subject of a three-year criminal behaviour order on October 31 this year after committing a number of offences of begging in the resort.

The order banned him from entering or attempting to enter various areas of Blackpool town centre.

On Saturday, at 5.10pm police saw Clapp on Queen Street – in an area he was banned from.

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He had a copy of the CBO in his pocket, saying he had put it there when he was served with it.

He had not looked at it since and he was forgetful.

He had a record of breaches of a previous CBO.

Howard Green, defending, said his client was not in court when the order was made and he was served with it two days afterwards.

Clapp had been to see a friend in South Shore and walked back along the beach because he was allowed on the sands.

He was very cold and came up from the beach at the side of North Pier to buy a coffee.

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As he went to get the drink he cut through the edge of an area he was prohibited from being in.

Clapp, who now had a permanent address and was working towards getting a job, was now in a much better position than when he was begging.

He had spent two days in the cells.

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Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, November 12, 2018

John Rainey, 37, theft and criminal damage

A former building company boss returned to crime after he lapsed back into taking drugs.

John Rainey had kept out of trouble for five years but turned to theft to repay a debt owed to a drug dealer.

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Rainey, 37, of Brisbane Place, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to shoplifting and causing damage.

He was given a 12 month conditional discharge, fined £100 with £170 costs and ordered to pay £20 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Rainey was detained outside Lidl, Cleveleys on August 13, after stealing eight sirloin steaks valued at £38 from the supermarket.

On August 13, about 4am, a woman at flats in Fleetwood heard a crashing sound and alerted police.

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CCTV showed Rainey and his brother getting into a flat, when the tenant was absent, causing £50 of damage to the wooden door and lock.

Rainey had a record of more than 70 offences, 31 for theft and similar crimes.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had changed his life around, running his own building business and keeping out of trouble for five years.

Rainey then relapsed into taking drugs for a short time before getting clean again. He lost his business because of his drug taking and ended up owing money to a drug dealer.

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Rainey had committed the shoplifting offence to get money because the dealer had told him he would be seriously assaulted if he did not pay up.

He had accompanied his brother to the flat in Fleetwood because the tenant had some of his brother’s belongings and he’d had difficulty getting them back.

His brother had kicked the door in.

Matthew Jones, 32, assault

A man has made his first appearance at court accused of spitting in the face of his 80-year-old grandmother who was recovering from a broken shoulder and ribs as a result of a fall at her St Annes home.

Matthew Jones, 32, formerly of North Promenade, St Annes, now living at Saville Road, South Shore, who works in a warehouse packing toys, pleaded not guilty to assaulting his grandmother on Friday.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, opposed bail for Jones.

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Defence lawyer, Gerry Coyle, asked for bail for his client saying he had been living with his grandmother but had now got his own flat in Saville Road.

Jones was refused bail and remanded in custody towards trial on December 10.

Teenager, 17, assault and criminal damage

A teenager has made his first appearance at court accused of attacking his mother and father.

The 17-year-old Blackpool boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with two offences of assault and one offence of causing damage at the family home.

He was bailed to appear at Blackpool Youth Court.

The defendant must live at a given address and not contact his parents or brother or go to the family home in South Shore as conditions of his bail.