Fylde: From the courts 14-04-16

A man who once set fire to a Blackpool pub may have to serve an extra four years in prison because he drove while over the alcohol limit.
Paul Taylor who has been jailed for the Dutton Arms fire, which caused £350,000 damagePaul Taylor who has been jailed for the Dutton Arms fire, which caused £350,000 damage
Paul Taylor who has been jailed for the Dutton Arms fire, which caused £350,000 damage

A man who once set fire to a Blackpool pub may have to serve an extra four years in prison because he drove while over the alcohol limit.

Paul Taylor, who was on licence from a 10 year prison sentence for arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered when he set fire to the Dutton Arms, South Promenade, in 2010, was recalled to jail after being arrested for drink-driving in St Annes.

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Taylor, a 35-year-old bricklayer, of Salwick Place, St Annes, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was sentenced to four weeks imprisonment, disqualified from driving for 36 months and ordered to pay £80 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police saw Taylor pull away from traffic lights in St David’s Road at speed on March 15 at 7.48pm. Taylor’s exhaust was very noisy and police followed him.

Taylor stopped and the officer said he saw him drink briefly from a bottle of cider. A breath test at the police station showed 78 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit,

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Allan Cobain, defending, said his client had been the subject of what he described as a “double whammy”.

Taylor had been on licence from prison when he was arrested for drink-driving and because of this he had been recalled to jail.

Mr Cobain said: “He may now lose his liberty for four years. His estimated date of release is February 20 2020. He has therefore been considerably punished already.”

Taylor was described as doing well when he was on licence and got a job as a bricklayer.

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The day of the drink-driving offence he went to see a friend, drank some cider and thought nothing about driving off in his car.

There was no criticism of his driving, but he had a 10-year-old car and the exhaust had blown.

• A son caused a fracas in the family home when he threw bottles about and was rude to relatives.

Curtis Richmond, unemployed, 25, of Church Road, Lytham, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and was bound over in the sum of £100 for 12 months by Blackpool magistrates.

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Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police were called to Richmond’s address on April 9 at 8.40pm. where the defendant was said to be causing a disturbance.

Police were met by Richmond’s father Stephen and it was said that the defendant had been throwing bottles around, threatening various family members and had thrown a television from a second floor window.

Richmond, who appeared drunk, told police: “Don’t put me on the floor or I’ll kick off.” He was arrested after he said he would self-harm if he was let go.

Richmond told magistrates: “I have got a lot of apologies to make when I get home. I need to speak to my doctor about my mental health.”

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• A 32 year old man was released from prison and was found a place to live in an old folks rest home.

A judge and the man’s lawyer both questioned why prolific offender Richard Watson was living surrounded by elderly pensioners.

Watson – who has a long criminal record for violence and burglary-needs medical supervision because he has the debilitating Huntingdon’s Disease.

He walks with the aid of a crutch and it was that aid he used to strike the manager of the rest home the Moor Villa on Moor Street, Kirkham.

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Watson now living with his mother in a one bedroomed flat on St Oswald Street, Preston, admitted recklessly assaulting Carol Collier-Baker by hitting her arm with the crutch after he lost his temper when refused medication.

He was given a one year conditional discharge by District Judge Huw Edwards sitting at Blackpool Magistrates Court.The judge said he could not award compensation because Watson had no form in income.

The judge told the court:”This assault took place in a nursing home used by the elderly and infirm.

“You were placed there in circumstances which are not clear to me but they were not suitable for you, the other residents or the staff.”

“What you did was inexcusable.

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“You have an unenviable record but I do take into account your illness.”

Watson’s lawyer Simon Gretton said:” My client has been suffering from Huntingdon’s Disease for ten years.On his release from prison he went straight to Moor Villa rest home which one might think is a strange choice of place for an ex offender and where many of the residents are elderly.”

“He takes 16 different types of medicine a day and on that day wanted some medication but the staff refused to give it to him.He became agitated and fixated and started waving his crutch around.He hit the lady recklessly rather than deliberately.”

“I would have to say that this was not the most appropriate place for him to be following his release from custody.”.