Blackpool: From the courts 28-04-17

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

Jack Heaton, 21, failing to provide a sample for alcohol testing, resisting a police officer, driving carelessly without insurance and not in accordance with his provisional licence

A learner driver tried to run away from police and resisted arrest so violently he had to be pepper sprayed.

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Jack Heaton attempted to flee after crashing his stepfather’s Ford Fiesta into a parked car and refusing to be breathalysed.

Heaton, 21, of Coveway Avenue, Layton, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a sample for alcohol testing, resisting a police officer, driving carelessly without insurance and not in accordance with his provisional licence.

He was sentenced to do 200 hours unpaid hours work for the community, banned from the road for 12 months, fined £250 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £85 victims’ surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Peter Trend, told him: “This is a serious offence - you failed to provide, tried to escape and it went on from there.”

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Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Heaton collided with a parked car on Westwood Avenue on March 26 about 10pm.

He refused to take a breath test at the roadside and ran off. Once caught he struggled violently and had to be pepper-spray, then officers had to take special measures to get him into a cell at the police station.

Heaton apologised and told magistrates he had made a mistake and then panicked when police arrived.

He added: “I can’t really take back my actions. I’m sure it will not happen again.”

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Adam Nichols, 26, driving with excess alcohol

A soldier with an unblemished Army record was over the alcohol limit when stopped by police.

Adam Nichols was on his way back home from a friend’s barbecue when he was apprehended after a routine check.

Nichols, 26, of Lancaster Close, Great Eccleston, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

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He was banned from the road for 17 months, fined £300 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Nichols was stopped by police in a routine check as he drove a Ford Focus in Great Eccleston on April 9 at 1am. A breath test showed 63 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said Nichols had drunk four tins of beer at a friend’s barbecue. Over a period of time he had also also eaten and he believed he was under the limit.

Nichols had an unblemished career in the Army and the offence would affect his chances of advancement in his career. Part of his role was to act as a driver and he would no longer be able to do that. He would also be disciplined by the Army.

Amanda Ridler, 31, theft

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A woman accused of four offences of stealing groceries valued at more than £100 from two shops in Fleetwood has been put on the wanted list.

Amanda Ridler, 31, of Duddon Avenue, Fleetwood, had a warrant without bail issued by Blackpool magistrates for her arrest.

Bailey Wood, 19, damage

A teenager accused of causing £500 of damage to a door belonging to his mother has had the case against him dropped.

Bailey Wood, 19, formerly of Ambleside Drive, St Annes, now living at Frobisher Drive, St Annes, had the case formerly withdrawn against him.

Sharon Doughty, 46, assault

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A woman accused of assaulting a male police officer was unable to attend court because she was in hospital.

Sharon Doughty, 46, of Bean Avenue, Marton, was bailed.

Michael Lewis, 32, drugs possession

A man admitted having drugs in his jacket pocket when the car he was a passenger in was stopped by police.

Michael Lewis, 32, of Albert Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis.

He was fined £65 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims surcharge.

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Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police stopped a car on Blackpool Promenade in which Rushton was a passenger on April 9 about 5pm.

Police could smell a strong smell of cannabis and Rushton admitted he had a snap bag of the drug in his pocket.

Rushton, who had no previous convictions, apologised.

David Blaney, 49, theft

A man accused of stealing £26 of coffee from a supermarket has had the first hearing of his case at court.

David Blaney, 49, of Luton Road, Cleveleys, was not present at court and had his case adjourned.

Paul Gibson, 25, theft

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A man whose jacket was stolen tracked down the culprit who had taken it using an app on a mobile phone.

Paul Gibson at first claimed the jacket was his but the victim identified it as his by a rip in it.

Gibson, 25, of Dinmore Avenue, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to theft of the jacket, a phone, bank card and darts.

He was fined £80 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

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Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a man in the Waterloo pub saw his jacket containing personal property was missing from the stool he had put it on on April 12 at 11.20pm. His phone was in the jacket so he got another friend to track the phone with an app.

The phone was shown as being in Ma Kelly’s and Gibson at first claimed it was his. He was arrested but he refused to walk to the police van and had to be carried.

Peter Cave, defending, said Gibson had drunk to excess that night and could remember very little of what happened.

He thought that in a sort of drunken stupor he had put the wrong jacket on.

Samantha Dixon, 28, driving with excess alcohol

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A student who had been drinking after a funeral had her car keys taken when she crashed.

Samantha Dixon, who was more than twice over the limit, hit a car as she rounded a bend in Poulton.

Dixon, who was 28 on the day of her court appearance, of Shaftsbury Avenue, Staining, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was banned from the road for 20 months, fined £260 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 costs.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Dixon crashed her Vauxhall Adam into another car in Hardhorn Road on April 7 at 8pm.

A breath test showed 86 micrograms of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.