Blackpool: From the courts 21/06/17

Martin Lumley, 30, drug-driving, carrying passengers in a dangerous manner and using a phone while driving

A van driver who had smoked cannabis was carrying his former girlfriend and two young children as passengers in his cab in a dangerous manner.

Martin Lumley, who came to police attention because he was driving while using his phone, had only three seats in the cab for the four passengers and the children were not restrained by seat belts.

Lumley, a 30-year-old self-employed plasterer, of Albert Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to drug driving, carrying passengers in a dangerous manner and using a phone while driving.

He was disqualified from driving for 14 months and fined £255 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police stopped Lumley’s Ford Transit on Grasmere Road on March 27 about 7pm, after seeing him using the phone while driving.

There were only three seats for the four people in the cab and there was a smell of cannabis. A test showed Lumley had 3.3 units of cannabis in his body – 2 is the limit.

Robert Castle, defending, told magistrates Lumley’s ex had insisted he pick up her and the two children, aged three and five. Lumley had smoked a cannabis joint at midnight the previous day and did not realise he was doing anything wrong by driving a substantial time afterwards.

He was extremely apologetic and he would find it very difficult to get employment as he would not be able to drive.

Here is Tuesday’s round-up of cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 20-06-17

Aaron Rodd, 37, theft

A man repeatedly targeted the same supermarket in St Annes to steal high value alcohol.

Aaron Rodd raided the shelves of Sainsbury’s, St Andrews Road North, eight times and took a total of £358 of alcohol, telling police he sold the booze to pay for food for his dog, rent and electricity.

Rodd, 37, of St Andrews Road South, St Annes, pleaded guilty to eight offences of theft.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do six months drug rehabilitation and fined £50 with £358 compensation.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Rodd stole bottles of Gray Goose vodka and Jack Daniels from Sainsbury’s between March 10 and April 28.

On the last occasion he targeted the store he was caught.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had not been in trouble for 11 years. Rodd accepted he had had a problem with cocaine for years, but he did not commit crime to pay for his drug use as he funded it from his work in the building industry.

He then lost his job and spent his benefits money on cocaine. This left him short for essentials such as rent food and electric, so he took to stealing the alcohol from Sainsbury’s and selling it.

Rodd was now addressing his drug problem and had registered with drug rehabilitation specialists.

James Hayes, 46, breach of a suspended sentence

A man failed to do the unpaid work for the community a court sentenced him to after he committed a burglary.

James Hayes, 46, of Barton Avenue, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to breaching a suspended prison sentence.

He was sentenced to do an extra 20 hours unpaid work.

The court was told that Hayes was sentenced to 18 weeks jail, suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 150 hours payback work for stealing a bag and contents valued at more than £1,000 in a burglary at a Blackpool beauty salon.

Gillian O’Flaherty, prosecuting for the probation service, said Hayes contacted his probation officer on several occasions to say he could not keep an appointment to do payback work as he was moving. He had completed 43 of the 150 hours he had been sentenced to.

Steven Townley, defending, said Hayes had been on the order for eight months, but for four of those months he had either been in hospital or unwell and unfit to carry out the work.

David Blayney, 49, theft

A man who stole twice from the same supermarket in one day has been jailed.

David Blayney, 49, of Braemar Walk, Bispham, pleaded guilty to two offences of theft.

He was sentenced to 14 days jail and ordered to pay £115 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Blayney went into Tesco, All Hallows Road, on May 7 about 8am and stole £14 of beef.

He returned the same day at 2pm and took beef priced at £28.

Howard Green, defending, said that the offences were committed when Blayney was sometimes not getting benefits.

Susan Moorcroft, 56, drunk and disorderly

A drunken woman was arrested after throwing cash around at Blackpool’s North Pier.

Susan Moorcroft was asked to leave the area but kept coming back and grabbing police officers.

Moorcroft, 56, of Elizabeth Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

She was fined £40 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said on May 18 at 5.30pm police were asked to go to North Pier to assist an ambulance crew called to Moorcroft who was lying on the floor.

She kept falling over but officers and paramedics eventually got her onto a bench. Moorcroft kept shouting about a large amount of money she had in her bag and throwing cash around.

Moorcroft told magistrates she had a drinking problem which she was getting help for.

Carl Gill, 49, burglary

A man has appeared at court accused of stealing a dog and an engagement ring in a burglary at his former girlfriend’s home.

Carl Gill, 49, of Forest Gate, Blackpool, pleaded not guilty to burgling an address in Knowle Avenue, Cleveleys, on May 6.

He was bailed for a trial date to be set.Gill must live at his given address and not contact the complainant as conditions of his bail.

Kerry Owen, 30, theft

A woman accused of stealing a coat valued at £69 from the resort’s TK Maxx store has been put on the wanted list.

Kerry Owen, 30, of Reads Avenue, Blackpool, had a warrant without bail issued for her arrest after she failed to attend court.

Mark Rushton, 26, case dropped

A man accused of being drunk and disorderly in Poulton’s Breck Road has had the case against him dropped.

Mark Rushton, 26, of Riversway, Layton, had the case against him formally discontinued.