Blackpool: From the courts 05-05-17

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court.
Blackpool Magistrates CourtBlackpool Magistrates Court
Blackpool Magistrates Court

Bradley Dillon, 19, and Jeffrey Dillon, 23, rape. Mark Ansell, 41, conspiracy to supply drugs

Two brothers have made their first appearance at court charged with raping the same woman.

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The duo are also jointly charged with a third man with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs heroin and crack cocaine.

Six more people arrested in the same police operation in Blackpool have been bailed by detectives to appear before magistrates Court on June 5.

The brothers are 19-year-old Bradley Dillon, from Ormskirk, and 23-year-old Jeffrey Dillon, from Skelmersdale.

They are charged with the rape offence in Blackpool in November last year.

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Both were remanded in custody on the rape and drugs charges. Magistrates ruled the cases must be heard at Preston Crown Court on June 7.

Bradley Dillon is also alleged to have indecently assaulted the same woman.

Magistrates heard from prosecutor Pam Smith that Jeffrey Dillon was also subject to prison recall by the Probation Service.

Their lawyer Kathryn Jamieson-Sinclair indicated her clients would be pleading not guilty to all allegations.

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The third man to appear yesterday was 41-year-old Mark Ansell of Lindbeck Road, Mereside.

Ansell is charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Magistrates bailed him on condition he lives at his given address and has no contact with his co accused.

He will also appear at Crown Court on June 7.

Darren McLaughlin, 34, driving with excess alcohol

A driver crashed his car into a tree at Lytham and then walked away from the accident scene.

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Darren McLaughlin, 34, of Kenilworth Road, St Annes, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 15 months and fined £400 with £85 costs plus £40 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a couple living on Upper Westby Street were woken by a raised voice, a car horn, a revving engine and then a loud crash on April 14 at 3.50am.

The husband went out to see a VW Golf resting against a tree. McLaughlin was trying to start the engine and a woman was standing near the car saying her head hurt.

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McLaughlin and the woman then walked off and went into a nearby flats complex. Police found him there and a breath test showed 57 micrograms of alcohol in his body –35 is the limit.

When interviewed McLaughlin said he had had a problem with his car mis-firing despite having taken it to a garage.

David Charnley, defending, said his client, who had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, had been on a night out. He saw his car was partly blocking a drive and out of consideration decided to move it a short distance.

Benjamin Harding, 25, burglary

A man has made his first appearance at court and pleaded not guilty to burgling an address on Blackpool’s Bank Street with intent to steal.

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Benjamin Harding, 25, of Clevedon Road, North Shore, had his case adjourned to fix a trial.

Peter Farrell, 60, drink driving

A care worker accused of driving a Mercedes in Wyre while over the alcohol limit has appeared at court.

Peter Farrell, 60, of Breck Road, Poulton, pleaded not guilty to drink-driving and was bailed to fix a trial date by

Christopher Mitchell, 33, damage

A man was so drunk he smashed windows at a bungalow belonging to strangers because he believed he had to rescue his girlfriend from inside.

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Christopher Mitchell, a 33-year-old electrician, who gave the care of address of West Drive, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

He was fined £600 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £225 compensation plus £60 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a couple living in a bungalow at Blackpool saw Mitchell banging on their windows and door on September 17 last year at 5.15am. He was shouting a woman’s name and said: “Let her out or I’m going to kill you all.”

He picked up a brick and smashed two windows.

The occupants, who did not know Mitchell, were petrified and called the police.

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Mitchell had been given a caution by police on the condition he paid £250 compensation but he only paid £25 of the total amount.

Mitchell told magistrates that he had been drunk.

He said he had believed his girlfriend was inside the address and he wanted to rescue her.

He added he knew he was totally in the wrong.

Mitchell said he had been unable to originally pay the £250 compensation because he became ill and could not work.

Julian Spearman, 30, driving with excess alcohol

A self-employed gas engineer was found to be over the alcohol limit after a tip-off to police.

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Julian Spearman, 30, of Saville Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was disqualified from driving for 15 months and fined £505 with £85 costs plus £50 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police received information about a possible drink- driver and stopped Spearman as he drove a VW Transporter Van on Waterloo Road on April 11 at 9.23pm.

A breath test showed 55 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

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Spearman’s defence lawyer said he had been working particularly hard and afterwards went to a pub for a drink with friends. He ordered a taxi to go home but the cab did not arrive and for some reason he decided to drive.

Spearman had his own business which involved travelling nationwide.

As a result of the offence he would lose the business and an apprentice he had taken on would lose his job.

Ian Wallace, 49, drunk and disorderly

A man who had drunk up to 14 pints got his wish when he shouted at police to arrest him.

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Ian Wallace caused a fracas in Boots shouting and swearing in front of families with young children.

Wallace, 49, of Crystal Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20 victims’ surcharge.

Wallace told magistrates he was trying to console a friend who had lost a relative.

They went out drinking and Wallace ended up not knowing where he was or what he was doing.