Blackpool: From the courts 23-02-17

Andrea Hall, 48, drink-driving

A hospital worker was caught driving in her pyjamas while almost three times over the alcohol limit.

Andrea Hall was signalled to stop by police as she drove through Kirkham but she carried on at between 10mph to 20mph and an officer was forced to block her vehicle in to bring her to a halt.

She had taken to the road after becoming upset about comments that her partner had been chatting up other women.

Hall, a 48-year-old care assistant at the Royal Preston Hospital, of Station Road, Kirkham, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was sentenced to do 84 hours unpaid work for the community, banned from the road for 23 months and told to pay £85 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police on the A583 at Kirkham on November 30 at 10.20pm, saw Hall driving a Corsa. She was weaving about lanes one and two and appeared to be trying to follow the centre line.

She turned right without indicating and mounted the kerb. She was signalled to stop but carried on at a slow speed round a roundabout onto Poulton Street, up the hill to Kirkgate, before turning onto Marsden Street without indicating and then Old Row where a police vehicle blocked her in. The prosecutor said: “The defendant was wearing pyjamas and crying. She struggled to get out of the car and said it’s my boyfriend’s, he’s no idea I’ve taken it. I’m sorry.”

A blood test showed 215 milligrammes of alcohol in her body - 80 is the limit.

In a report to the court, probation officer, Lesley Whittaker, said that Hall usually only drank sparingly a couple of times a week but on this occasion she was between jobs so she went to a pub with her partner and drank six double vodkas.

She then became upset about friends comments about her partner chatting up other women. Hall and her partner then went back to her partner’s home in Preston. There she became upset again about the comments that had been made and decided to take her partner’s car and drive home.

Here is a round-up of some of Wednesday’s cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 22-02-17

Patrick Garscadden, 32, drunk and disorderly

When a drunken Scot on holiday at the seaside was quizzed by police he was so befuddled he told them he was still in Falkirk.

Patrick Garscadden, 32, was so inebriated he was convinced he had never left his homeland.

He refused to believe police when they told him he was in Blackpool even when they showed him the Tower!

But reality will sink in when Garscadden of Barnego Road, Falkirk opens his mail and finds out his trip did take place and has cost him £811.

That is the total of £660 fine and court costs imposed by magistrates when he was found guilty in his absence.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police were called to Blackpool’s Scruffy Murphy’s bar. Garscadden had a cut to the head and told officers he had been drinking all day.

“When police asked him where he was he insisted he was in Falkirk even though he was standing under the Tower,” she said

“His eyes were glazed and his speech slurred and he was taken to hospital on the way he was abusive and aggressive to paramedics and police . At hospital he was aggressive with staff in A&E.”

Ben Webb, 33, breach of the peace

A police officer had to draw his pepper spray and tell a man with blood on his hands to calm down.

Ben Webb, 33, of Cameron Avenue, Layton, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and was bound over in the sum of £100 for 12 months.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were called to Webb’s address on February 20 at 1.25am, where the defendant, who was drunk, had been shouting, swearing and throwing items around.

Webb then burst into the living room with blood on his hands and forearms. He refused to calm down and was arrested.

Daniel Stacey, 32, criminal damage

A man kicked in his girlfriend’s front door after being accused by her of eyeing-up other women.

Daniel Stacey feared she would be suspicious if he returned to his own home and there would be another row, but when he went to her address she would not let him in.

Stacey, 32, of St Andrews Road South, St Annes, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

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

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Stacey and his partner went to a show at Marton Institute, on February 4. There was a row and she went home.

At 3.30am Stacey arrived at her home extremely drunk.

He shouted to be let in and repeatedly kicked the front door causing a panel to fall into the doorway and the door open.

Martin Hillson, defending, said: “There was a disagreement between them about whether the defendant had been eyeing-up other girls during the evening.

“He thought if he did not go back to her address she would be suspicious and he would be quizzed about that again.”

Stacey said he had arranged to pay for repairs to the door and hoped there may be a reconciliation with his girlfriend.

Tim Brooks, 22, breach of a restraining order and criminal damage

A man accused of spitting in his former girlfriend’s face has appeared at court.

Tim Brooks, 22, of Dawlish Avenue, Grange Park, pleaded not guilty to assault, breaching a restraining order not to contact his ex and damaging a car.

He was bailed to April 19 for trial by magistrates.

Steven Marsden, 28, theft, breach of a suspended prison sentence

A man was arrested on what he paid only 9p for a £54 pressure washer at a shop.

Steven Marsden had self scanned the washer which had a price ticket on it for nine pence at Morrisons, Amy Johnson Way.

Marsden, a 28-year-old carer, of Chisholm Street, Openshaw, Manchester, pleaded guilty to theft and breaching a suspended prison sentence imposed for two offences of shoplifting.

He was sentenced to six weeks jail suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £85 costs with £115 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Marsden was detained at Morrisons on February 18 after paying only 9p for a pressure washer.

Steven Townley, defending, said Marsden and his girlfriend had come to the resort for the weekend.

They had gone shopping and Marsden put the pressure washee through a self scanning till and thought it was his “lucky day”.