Blackpool: From the courts 18-05-17

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

Brian Hindle, 41, drink-driving

A driver with a drink problem whose alcohol level was described as horrendous by a magistrate has been banned from the road for four years,

Brian Hindle was more than three times over the alcohol limit when police apprehended him.

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Hindle, 41, of St Albans Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol without insurance and not in accordance with a licence.

In addition to the driving ban he was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 30 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do 60 hours unpaid work for the community and told to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Presiding magistrate, Jean Adam, told him: “It was an horrendous reading. I would advise you if you continue drinking after the ban, not to get behind the wheel.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police spoke to Hindle on April 20 after he was seen driving a Renault Clio on St Albans Road. A breath test showed 116 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

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He had a previous drink-driving conviction and a conviction for failing to provide a breath specimen for alcohol testing.

In a report to the court, probation officer Brian Weatherington, said Hindle had had issues with alcohol addiction most of his adult life. He stopped drinking for two years but started again after splitting up with his partner.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said Hindle’s partner was the love of his life and they had children together. After 11 years together they split up in April.

Hindle said he was a recovering alcoholic who could fall off the wagon if a problem arose. He said the day of the offence he drank very little but he must have been topping up his alcohol level from the night before.

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Maureen Carpenter, 51, Paul Carpenter, 51, money laundering VAT evasion, Stuart Kane, 34, VAT fraud

Three people have made their first appearances at court charged with fraud.

The trio are involved in the running of Blackpool based company Booze Booze Booze Ltd.

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They are Maureen Carpenter, 51, and Paul Carpenter, 51, of Leamington Road,Blackpool, who are accused of money laundering the proceeds of an alleged VAT fraud through the Well Fargo Bank in America.

The are also accused in the fraudulent evasion of VAT estimated at £138,888.

The third person Stuart Kane, 34, also of Leamington Road, Blackpool, faces one charge of VAT fraud.

Sarah Perkins prosecuting said that the allegations involved the falsification of VAT returns which did not reflect the company’s sales of £746,711 a year.

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District Judge Derek French sent the cases to be heard at Preston Crown Court where the trio will appear on June 14. They were all granted bail.

Louise Scarlet, 42, drink-driving

A woman who had been drinking hit a parked car and spun into the middle of the road.

Louise Scarlet then left the accident scene and police apprehended her at her home.

Scarlet, a 42-year-old mother-of-two, of Lowesway, Marton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

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She was disqualified from driving for 20 months and fined £250 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Scarlet was driving a Peugeot in Daggers Hall Lane, on April 19 at 8.30pm, when she collided with a parked car.

Police tracked her down to her home and a breath test showed 83 micrograms of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

Howard Green, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had had a meeting with a debt advisor who told her she did not have the means to make ends meet.

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She was upset and had drunk a bottle of wine. Later she decided to drive a short distance to get some cigarettes.

Mr Green added: “It was an act of madness when she was under great pressure.”

Hannah Deacon, 24, drink-driving

A bankworker was more than twice over the alcohol limit when she was seen driving her Mini Cooper.

Hannah Deacon, 24, of Chesham Lodge, Great Eccleston, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

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She was banned from the road for 20 months and fined £240 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Deacon was seen driving on Amounderness Way, Fleetwood, on April 24 in the early hours. A breath test showed 74 micrograms of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

Thilakshana Shanthakumar, 30, failure to provide a breath specimen

The boss of a convenience store was stopped on the motorway by police who used a stinger device to puncture her car tyres.

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Thilakshana Shanthakumar a 30-year-old mother-of-two, of Hatfield Avenue, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen for alcohol testing.

She was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £670 with £85 costs plus £67 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police received information on April 2 at 11.45pm that a Land Rover was swerving all over the road. The car was tracked to the M55 and a stinger used to bring it to a controlled halt.

At the police station Shanthakumar failed to provide the two required breath specimens.

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Howard Green, defending, said his client ran a store with her husband.

She had got behind the wheel following a heated domestic incident. She had been drinking and was very upset at the time.

Patrick Ryan, 60, theft

Career criminal Patrick Ryan has chalked up his 658th offence.

The 60-year-old from Fox Street, Preston, and formerly of Central Drive, Blackpool, downed four bourbons in a pizza restaurant and walked out without paying.

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Ryan admitted making off without payment from the Pizza Express on Clifton Street,Lytham. He was jailed by magistrates for 12 weeks.

Martine Connah,prosecuting, said that Ryan went into Pizza Express and ordered the drinks one after each other.

He kept looking at the menu but did not order food and when suspicious staff confronted him he said he had no money to pay and walked off.

The manager followed him to Lytham Green and then called police who arrest Ryan.

In interview Ryan told police he thought he was on South Shore, Blackpool and did not realise he had arrived in Lytham.

He told police:”I had no money to pay and no intention of paying.”