Blackpool: From the courts 20-12-16

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

Robert Wooley, 54, harassment using homophobic language

A neighbour bombarded a hotelier and his partner with loud music and homophobic abuse and threats.

Robert Wooley spent almost six hours abusing the owner of The Royal Hotel, Lord Street, and his partner on one occasion.

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Wooley, 54, of Lord Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to harassment using homophobic language.

He was sentenced to four weeks prison suspended for 12 months with up to 10 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and ordered to pay the hotelier and his partner £100 compensation each by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said the hotelier and his partner started having problems with their neighbour in January.

The walls between the properties were thin and Woolley sporadically played music extremely loudly.

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The hotelier on occasions asked Woolley to turn the music down. Woolley started shouting “nobody messes with Robert Woolley”. He then began playing loud music and shouting abuse to such an extent that guests could not be housed at the back of the hotel.

On August 24, Woolley upset two guests by playing loud music for hours from 1am. He shouted homophobic abuse then started banging on the hotel door. At 6.30am the police arrived, but once officers left Woolley continued making a noise.

In a victim’s impact statement the hotelier said Woolley had affected his trade and caused him and his partner emotional upset.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had had an alcohol problem at the time and the drink had made him do and say things he would not normally do. Since August there had been no more trouble.

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Woolley had shown genuine regret and remorse. He said he had apologised to the hotelier and his partner and their relationship had recovered to the extent they all now said hello in the street.

Darren Birch, 51, drink-driving

An oil industry worker was caught after a tip-off to police and found to be more than twice over the alcohol limit.

Darren Birch, 51, of Carr Road, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 20 months and fined £120 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

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Prosecutor, Peter Bardsley, said police received information about a possible drink-driver in a Saab on November 30 at 12.30am.

Birch was stopped as he drove along Warren Street, Fleetwood. A breath test showed 72 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client had been to the pub and intended taking a taxi home, but had to drive to go and speak to a friend.

Birch had spent many years in the oil industry living in Norway, but after an illness he sold up and came back to the UK. The driving ban would have a big impact on Birch as he had just got a job as a rigger. This would have involved driving round various sites so he could now not do that.

Kieran Ralston, 21, theft

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A man accused of stealing £50 from a woman acquaintance has appeared at court.

Kieran Ralston, 21, of Manchester Road, Blackpool, pleaded not guilty to theft.

He was bailed to January 31 for trial by magistrates. Ralston must not contact the complainant as a condition of his bail.

Frank Bebbington, 73, failing to stop after an accident

A pensioner driving a 4X4 reversed into a parked car and then drove off.

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Frank Bebbington later returned to the accident scene and told the woman whose car he had hit that he had not seen anything.

Bebbington, 73, of Horsebridge Road, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident.

He was fined £120 with £50 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge and had seven motoring penalty points put on his licence by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Peter Bardsley, said a woman who had parked her Renault Twingo on the resort’s Dunslop Close on August 4 ,and returned at 8pm, to find the driver’s door damaged and driver’s window smashed.

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A witness said he had seen a man reverse into her car and there was CCTV footage of the accident. Bebbington then returned to the scene and said he had not seen anything.

In a victim’s impact statement the woman said: “He must have known he hit my car but he chose to be deceitful and drove off, then lied saying it was not him.”

Hugh Pond, defending, said his client was driving a 4X4 Renault Scenic, a large vehicle with a big spare tyre and tow bar at the rear. Bebbington had felt no collision and there was no damage to his car.

Bebbington, who had been driving since he was 17, accepted it when the CCTV was viewed showing the vehicles appear to touch.

Dre McKay, 19, racially aggravated assault and beating

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A teenager accused of punching a man to the ground and kicking him in a St Annes hairdressers has made his first appearance at court.

Dre McKay, 19, of St Andrews Road South, St Annes, pleaded not guilty to an offence of racially aggravated assault and an offence of assault by beating.

McKay was bailed to February 14 for trial by magistrates.

Barry Carr, 65, threatening behaviour

A pensioner accused of making threats in a neighbour dispute has had the first hearing of his case at court.

Barry Carr, 65, of Rossall Gate, Fleetwood, faces two offences of threatening behaviour.

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He was not present at court and not guilty pleas to both offences were entered on his behalf by defence lawyer Patrick Nelligan.

Carr’s case was adjourned to February 17 for trial by magistrates.

Paul Moore, 36, theft

A thief started off preparing for his Christmas celebrations by stealing Champagne valued at almost £200 from a St Annes store.

Paul Moore, 36, of Reads Avenue, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to theft.

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He was sentenced to pay £99 compensation by District Judge John Maxwell who imposed no other penalty.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Moore stole two crates of Champagne valued at £198 from Marks and Spencer, Clifton Drive South on November 28, before making his getaway in a taxi.

He was seen on CCTV and arrested at Ma Kelly’s bar in Blackpool. Only one crate of the bubbly was recovered. Steven Townley, defending, said his client had spent five days in custody after being arrested.