Fylde: From the courts 17-03-16

A man stole from a shop to fund his drug habit a judge was told.
Blackpool Magistrates CourtBlackpool Magistrates Court
Blackpool Magistrates Court

Paul Hedley, unemployed, 31, of St Albans Road, 
St Annes, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20.96 compensation with £15 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Jeff Brailsford sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

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Prosecutor, Kerry Griebe, said Hedley was identified from CCTV at Home Bargains, St Annes, which showed him taking deodorants and a toiletries gift set, putting them in a bag and walking out without paying.

When interviewed by police Hedley said he could not remember taking the items because he was under the influence of drugs.

At the time of the offence Hedley was the subject of a community order with drug rehabilitation which had been imposed on him three weeks previously.

Leisa Splaine, defending, told the judge that Hedley said his recent run of offences were all due to him funding a drug problem.

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• A man caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to a Ford Transit van at St Annes.

Marc Barden, 29, of Kirkdale Avenue, St Annes, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 compensation with £85 costs plus £15 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Barden committed the offence on February 11 this year.

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Barden told magistrates that there had been some history between him and the van owner and he had been provoked.

• A woman who crashed into a wall at St Annes was shoeless and unsteady on her feet when spoken to by police.

Aimee Bryant, who said she did not know when she left her home or where she was driving to, had been drinking wine before the accident.

Bryant, a 24-year-old call centre worker, of Fleetwood Road, Thornton, pleaded guilty to driving with 
excess alcohol and not in accordance with her provisional licence.

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She was disqualified from driving for 14 months, fined £250 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £25 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Margaret McCormack sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

Martine Connah, prosecuting, said police were called to an accident on Todmorden Road on February 20 at 3.30am, where Bryant had crashed her VW Beetle into a wall.

Bryant, a learner driver, was in the back of a car which had women in it.

When she got out she was unsteady and shoeless.

A breath test showed 51 micrograms of alcohol in her body – 35 is the limit.

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Steven Townley, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, could given no explanation of what had prompted her to get into the car.

• A woman drove through a red light and nearly collided with a police car a court was told.

Lisa Harker had been drinking wine and was found to be almost twice over the alcohol limit.

Harker, unemployed, 41, of St Albans Road, St Annes, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

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She was disqualified from driving for 17 months, fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £20 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a police patrol was on The Crescent, St Annes on February 16 at 9.10pm. 
As the patrol moved off Harker, who was driving a Skoda Citigo on St Davids Road North, failed to stop at a red light and almost collided with the police car.

When stopped Harker told an officer: “Okay, I’m sorry. 
“I have had a few glasses of wine and I’m guilty.” a breath test showed 69 micrograms of alcohol in her body – 35 is the limit.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had been in abusive relationship and the night of the offence she and her boyfriend had argued.

She had intended sleeping in her car but her boyfriend was adamant he wanted the vehicle moving from his property.

Harker then decided to drive the short distance home.

She denied any bad driving.