Blackpool: From the courts 21-10-16

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court from October 20.
Blackpool Magistrates CourtBlackpool Magistrates Court
Blackpool Magistrates Court

Mark Boon, theft

A man who carried the Olympic Torch when Britain hosted the games four years ago fell from grace after he stole from a friend,

Mark Boon, who has raised thousands of pounds for charity, took the man’s laptop computer after he had been allowed to stay at his home.

Mark BoonMark Boon
Mark Boon
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Boon, 23, of Oakwood Close, South Shore, pleaded guilty to stealing a Samsung tablet and charger valued at £150.

He was given a six months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £60 compensation with £85 costs plus £20 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Boon had been staying at a friend’s after being evicted from his own address.

On February 15 the friend found his computer was missing,

Mark BoonMark Boon
Mark Boon

Inquiries revealed Boon had sold it at a second-hand shop for £70. Police gave Boon a caution on the condition he paid £70 compensation but he only paid back £10 of it.

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Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client who had been involved in carrying the Olympic Torch four years ago and who had raised thousands of pounds for charity involving a project in Mozambique, had acted completely out of character.

Before Boon committed the offence there had been a family bereavement which had led to a breakdown in his mental health and he had fallen on hard times.

Boon was unable to pay the money needed for the caution.

If he had confided in his family they would have paid and Boon’s appearance in court and conviction could have been avoided, but he was too ashamed to tell them what he had done.

Anthony Salim, breach of the peace

A 47-year-old Blackpool man has admitted breaching the peace.

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Police were called to flats on Clifford Road, Blackpool where damage had allegedly been done.

When the officers got there they were confronted by Salim who is one of the residents.

Salim had been drinking and argued with officers claiming another resident owed him money.

When he refused to keep quiet he was arrested.

Salim was bound over the keep the peace for a year in the sum of £100.

Ben Cargill, criminal damage

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A couple who had come on holiday to Blackpool fought each other in their hotel bedroom, a court was told.

Ben Cargill told officers his girlfriend had hit him with a dressing table stool and she said he had punched her in the face and hit her with a wooden chair, the court heard

The brawl began after the couple got separated while out drinking and Cargill booted open a fire door at the Manchester House Hotel, Withnell Road, where they were staying because he got locked out.

Cargill, 21, was not present at court but his lawyer entered a plea by letter on his behalf of guilty to damaging a door.

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He was fined £165 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Sarah Perkins, said police were called to the Manchester House Hotel September 24 at 2.20am.

They heard a woman screaming “stop hitting me” and “you’ve pulled my nails off.”

Officers went to a bedroom and Cargill and his girlfriend told them they had been fighting.

Cargill said they had been out and got separated.

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He went back to the hotel and had to boot a fire door to get in.

He said he found him girlfriend collapsed on the bathroom floor.

She then went mad and shouted at him.

A letter from Cargill’s defence lawyer stated that Cargill was a hard worker who had saved up for the holiday.

He was ashamed of what he had done that night.

Steven Birdsall, 54, outraging public decency

A man performed an indecent act while standing near the window of his flat, a court heard.

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Steven Birdsall was seen by a neighbour and passers-by standing naked in the window of his home in Cherry Tree Gardens, Marton.

Blackpool Magistrates were told Birdsall, 54, had taken down the net curtains to the window on the day of the offence.

He had washed and dried them but after drinking cans of beer was unable to re hang them.

Malcolm Isherwood, prosecuting, said: “A man in a flat opposite had seen Birdsall attempt to put the curtain back up but he failed.

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“The next time he looked he was shocked to see Birdsall standing naked in the window.

“The nearby flats have mainly elderly residents and this have been in full view of them and passers-by.”

John McLaren, defending, said: “My client had just split up with his girlfriend.

“He was on his day off from work and had been drinking.

“He had tried to hang up his net curtains but failed.

“He accepts he was reckless but he suffers from bad arthritis of the hand and is awaiting surgery.

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“He is very, very sorry and did not realise that without the curtains he was visible to the public.”

Birdsall who admitted the offence of outraging public decency had sentence adjourned by the court to see if he is fit enough to do unpaid work for the community.

Jason Longstaff, theft

A man who became depressed after losing two jobs stole snacks drinks and flowers because he had no money.

Jason Longstaff took the goods after a woman he had not seen for some time came to visit him and he was too proud to say he had no funds.

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Longstaff, 45, of Claremont Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with a six weeks overnight curfew and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.