These are the latest cases and convictions from Blackpool Magistrates' Court - Thursday, May 30, 2019

Amanda Castaldi, 50, drink-driving

A community physiotherapist was found to be more than twice over the alcohol limit when stopped by the police,

Amanda Castaldi first came to the notice of officers after they saw her driving without lights in Blackpool.

Castaldi, 50, of Cavendish Road, St Annes, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. She was banned from the road for 17 months, fined £415 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £41 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police saw Castaldi driving a Peugeot 208 on May 6, at 1.05am, without lights on Ashworth Road, Bispham.

She then went round a roundabout without indicating and also turned onto Deepdale Road without indicating.

A breath test showed 71 microgrammes of alcohol in her body – 35 is the limit.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said her client, who had no previous convictions, had had a number of medical problems over the past months and been self-medicating with alcohol. After the offence she had seen her doctor, been given medication and was awaiting an appointment for bereavement counselling.

Her workplace was in Cleveleys, but she also travelled to visit patients. She did not know if she would keep her job.

Sarah Duthie, 30, fraud

A woman worked for Blackpool’s The Alternative School while illegally claiming benefits a court was told.

Sarah Duthie wrongly obtained more than £7,000 in Employment Support Allowance and housing benefit.

Duthie, 30, a single mother-of-three, of North Drive, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to notify a change in circumstances.She was sentenced to an eight weeks curfew from 9pm to 7am and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Duthie originally claimed benefits stating she was unable to work because of anxiety and depression.

Enquiries revealed she had worked for a number of companies including The Alternative School - which is described as for young people not engaging in mainstream education.

She illegally claimed a total of £7,669 in benefits between May 2017 and April last year.

When interviewed, she said she did not read any letters sent to her from The Department of Work and Pensions and the council’s housing benefits department.

Robert Castle, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had had a significant breakdown during the time she was claiming benefits and she could not bear to open her post.

Christopher Faller, 28, assault

A highways engineer has appeared at court charged with assaulting his partner and her mother.

Christopher Faller, 28, of Beach Road, Cleveleys, is accused of assaulting the daughter on the hard shoulder of the M6 motorway near Wigan.

He also faces a second allegation of assaulting the same woman.

The third allegation is one of assault causing actual bodily harm on the woman’s mother at a property in Blackpool.

Faller appeared before Blackpool Magistrates where he denied the offences.

He was remanded in custody.

Kieran McGuire, 27, criminal damage

A man seen fighting bare-chested outside a Blackpool hotel he was staying at left a blood trail leading to damage inside.

Kieran McGuire, who was a guest at The Savoy Hotel, damaged glass panels in two fire doors and a picture frame.

McGuire, a 27, of Montreal Park, East Kilbride, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

He was fined £276 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £200 compensation with £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a night supervisor at The Savoy saw the defendant and another man pushing and shoving each other and arguing in the reception area on May 6, at about 4am.

They went outside, took their tops off and started scuffling.

Both men who were staying at the hotel came back in and McGuire’s hand was seen to be bleeding.

The superintendent followed and saw blood on a broken picture frame and the glass panels of two fire doors were broken.

When interviewed McGuire said he had been drunk and did not recall what had happened.

Robert Castle, defending, said his client had immediately admitted he must have caused the damage and apologised.

McGuire did not want the hotel to be out of pocket.