Blackpool: From the courts 27-12-16

Loren Sirbu, 21, drink-driving

A care assistant was more than twice over the alcohol limit when police described him as driving in Blackpool town centre in an unsafe manner.

Loren Sirbu, 21, of Pleasant Street, North Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and having no insurance. The proceedings were relayed to him in Romanian by an interpreter.

He was banned from the road for 21 months and fined £370 with £85 costs plus £37 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police saw Sirbu driving a Hyundai Coupe along the resort’s Queens Street in an unsafe manner on September 12 at 3.45am.

A blood test showed 191 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 80 is the limit.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had come to the UK just over a year ago.

The night of the offence Sirbu had been to a party, drunk more alcohol than he intended to and foolishly decided to drive his car. His insurance had lapsed only seven days previously.

Stephen Morris, 58, possession of heroin

Getting arrested proved to have a silver lining for a man who had heroin.

Stephen Morris had viewed his arrest as a wake-up call and weaned himself off drugs.

Morris, , 58, of Peter Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin.

He was fined £40 with £30 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police in an unmarked car were driving down Coronation Street when they saw what appeared to be a hand-to-hand exchange between Morris and another man on September 7.

When searched four ŵraps of heroin valued at £35 were found on Morris, who had two previous drug-related convictions.

Allan Cobain, defending, told magistrates that Morris said there had been an exchange between him and the other man, but only of a cigarette lighter.

Mr Cobain added: “He says he had been dabbling in taking drugs again and this arrest was a wake-up call. He started to wean himself off drugs and tells me for the last month he has been drug free.”

Kerri-Ann Banning, 26, theft

A woman asked a staff member near the main door of a shop if they had been watching her and then tried to leave with stolen goods.

Kerri-Ann Banning, , 26,of Victory Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to theft of razors valued at £72.

She was sentenced to a six weeks curfew from 9pm to 7am and ordered to pay £15 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Banning walked up to a staff member near the door at the resort’s Wilkinson store on November 28 at 12.45pm and asked if they had been watching her before walking out with the stolen razors and setting off the alarms.

She told police she intended selling the razors to pay for drugs and for a debt she owed her drug dealer.

Martin Hillson, defending, said his client had been introduced to drugs by a boyfriend when she was 23 and became drug dependant.

After spending five months in hospital with health problems some of which were caused by her drug use she stopped using them.

Recently she had started dabbling in drugs but after stealing the razors she got help from drugs specialists and was on a methadone prescription.

Paul Anderson, 49, theft

A man stole from a supermarket because he had no food or electricity.

Paul Anderson, 49, of Charles Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to three thefts.

He was sentenced to an eight weeks tagged curfew from 7pm to 6am and ordered to pay £15 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a witness at Sainsburys, Talbot Road, saw Anderson put two sets of DVDs valued together at £100 in a bag and walk out without paying on December 3 at 9.30am.

He had previously admitted twice stealing tools from B&Q.

Anderson told police he would have sold the items as he had no cash to live on.

Peter Manning, defending, said sometimes Anderson suffered from anxiety and depression for which he received medication from his doctor. His benefit money had been sanctioned because he had had difficulties getting a sick note.

Leighton Milne, 38, distributing and possessing indecent photographs of children

A man has admitted making and distributing indecent pictures of children at the most depraved level.

Leighton Milne, 38, of Chadfield Road, Blackpool, now living in Birmingham, pleaded guilty to three offences of making, three offences of distributing and one offence of possessing indecent photographs of children,

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Milne was found with 81 category A pictures of children, the most indecent.

He also had 19 category B and 25 category C pictures of children.

The offences took place between August 2014 and February this year at Blackpool.

Brett Chappell, defending, said his client had been abused as a child and suffered from mental health issues.

Milne was bailed to appear for sentence at Preston Crown Court on January 25 by Blackpool magistrates.

He must not have any contact with children under 18 as a condition of his bail.

Flavio Stingu, 42, fraud

A man accused of fraud by taking out a financial agreement intending to cause loss to MotoNovo Finance has appeared at court.

Flavio Stingu, 42, of Cambridge Road, Ansdell, was bailed for further inquiries into the case by Blackpool magistrates.

Jordan Leeming, 19, theft

A teenager caught stealing a sound bar asked if he could go and get some money to pay for the item and then ran off.

Jordan Leeming, 19, of Crystal Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs with £20 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a security officer at Asda, Cherry Tree Road, saw Leeming and another man go to the self-serve area on September 21. 
The £60 sound bar they had did not scan but they walked out with it.

When apprehended they asked if they could get money to pay for it and then ran off.

David Charnley, defending, said Leeming had kept out of trouble for more than a year and the offence was out of character for him.