Blackpool: From the courts 11-04-17

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

Paul Mitchell, 32, assault

A visitor punched his girlfriend in the face causing her nose to bleed after they argued on holiday in Blackpool.

Paul Mitchell 32, of Burns Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to assault.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 30 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, told to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Mitchell was seen in Talbot Road on April 5 at 3.10pm punching his girlfriend, giving her a bloody nose.

CCTV footage of the incident was played to the court.

Mitchell had three previous convictions for assaults on a partner.

Steven Townley, defending, said while the couple were in Blackpool they saw a psychic who spoke about the couple’s children and Mitchell’s partner became upset.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They went for drinks and there was an argument. She made no formal complaint to the police about what he had done.

Phillip Eckersley, 30, bringing steroids into prison

A man has been accused of smuggling drugs into Kirkham Prison after he returned to the jail from an outside work placement detail.

Phillip Eckersley, who was serving 51 months at the jail for conspiracy to supply drugs, is alleged to have replied no to prison officers when he was asked if he had anything on him, but when he was searched steroids were found.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Eckersley, 30, of Bag Lane, Atherton, Manchester, faces three charges of bringing steroids into the prison on December 2 last year.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said the case was indictable and could only be heard at crown court.

Defence lawyer, Steven Townley, said his client had indicated he would plead guilty to the offences.

Magistrates, who heard the case via video-link, remanded Eckersley in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on May 10.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Terence Ward, 28, burglary, taking a car, driving without insurance, driving while disqualified and possession of heroin

A man who broke into a hotel has been jailed for 24 weeks.

Terence Ward, 28, of Warbreck Hill Road, Layton, stole a set of car keys when he burgled the Jollies Hotel, Hornby Road, Blackpool.

He used the keys to illegally drive off a guest’s VW car.

He also stole cash from the hotel bar, two mobile phones and a camera, magistrates heard.

Ward admitted the burglary and taking the car. He also admitted driving without insurance,driving while disqualified and possessing heroin.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Martine Connah,prosecuting, said that in all goods valued at £200 were taken from the hotel.

He was caught by police in the stolen car at Charnock Richard services on the M6.

Steven Townley, defending, told the court: “This man lives a chaotic lifestyle. He started taking drugs when he was last in jail and had continued that habit.”

Matthew Bradley, 26, malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A man accused of stabbing another in the face through the cheek with a knife at Blackpool has appeared at court via the video-link.

Matthew Bradley, 26, of no fixed address, is charged with malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He is also accused of possessing a knife in public on Blackpool Promenade on October 27 last year.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said the offence could only be heard at crown court,

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Defence lawyer, Brett Chappell, said his client had indicated he would plead not guilty to the offences.

Bradley was remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on May 10 by magistrates.

Peter Gallagher, 55, assault, affray, criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon

A man accused of throwing a pint of cider at a pub landlady on New Year’s Eve then returning to the pub armed with a hammer the next day and smashing windows has made his first appearance at court.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Peter Gallagher, 55, of Central Drive, Blackpool, is charged with assaulting the landlady of The George pub, Central Drive.

He is also accused of affray, possessing a hammer as an offensive weapon and causing £1,000 of damage to windows at The George pub.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, asked for the case to be heard at crown court.

Gallagher was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on May 3 by magistrates.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He must not enter The George pub as a condition of his bail.

Ryan Gibbons, 20, and Brandon Nganga, 19, robbery

Two men accused of a street robbery have been sent for trial at Preston Crown Court.

Ryan Gibbons, 20, and Brandon Nganga, 19, are alleged to have robbed a man of his bank card during an incident on Central Drive.

Magistrates sent the duo top the higher court where they will appear on May 10.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gibbons was bailed to an address in Leigh and Nganga to an address in Warrington.

Both must keep a curfew and must not enter Blackpool.

Anthony Crossley, 33, handling stolen goods

A man was duped by a friend he had let stay into selling an iPad that had been stolen.

Anthony Crossley, a 33-year-old former shop worker, of Highfield Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods.

He was fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £200 compensation with £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a friend came to Crossley with an iPad on February 25, and asked if he would sell it as he had no identification.

Crossley agreed to do so as the friend owed him rent.

He got £200 from Cash Converters and kept the £110 he was owed giving the remainder to the friend.

He admitted to police he had not done enough to find out whether his friend was the owner of the device.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said Crossley his mother and father had allowed the man to stay at their home for three months as he had been kicked out by his dad.

The friend had promised to pay rent but never did. The friend had duped Crossley by appearing with the iPad and saying he could take the rent money out of what he sold it for.