Blackpool: From the courts 02-03-17

Mark Weyer, 31, conveying a mobile phone into a jail and taking a photograph inside a prison

A visitor to a jail took a photograph of a prisoner to show how well inmates were being fed at Kirkham Prison.

Mark Weyer than put the picture on Facebook and found himself in trouble with the law after someone sent it to the prison governor.

Weyer, a 31-year-old father-of-three, of West Cliff Terrace, Preston, who owns a pointing business pleaded guilty to two offences under the Prison Act of 1952 – of conveying a mobile phone into a jail and taking a photograph inside a prison.

He was sentenced to do 40 hours unpaid work for the community and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Weyer visited an inmate at Kirkham Prison on October 21.

Signs at the jail listed items it was prohibited from taking into the jail. These included mobile phones and lockers were provided to put banned items in.

Weyer kep his mobile in his pocket and in the visiting area took a picture of a prisoner. He later posted the picture on Facebook and someone printed it off and sent it to the prison Governor.

Andrew Nottingham, defending, said Weyer had gone to the open prison to visit a relative whom he had not seen for a while. He was not searched and did not realise it was illegal to take a phone in or take a picture in the prison. He saw other people had mobiles on the tables in the visiting room.

Mr Nottingham added: “The reason he took the photograph was because his relative had been so well fed in Kirkham Prison he had put quite a bit of weight on. He put the picture on Facebook so other family members could see that the cousin was getting a bit portly.

“Social media gets people in all sorts of trouble. Someone spotted the picture and it got back to the governor who reported it to police. When interviewed Weyer said it had been a stupid thing to do.”

Here is a round-up of some of Wednesday’s cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 01-03-17

James Walton, 47, burglary

A former joiner carefully removed beading round a shop window to steal ornaments valued at £500.

James Walton, 47, of Withnell Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to burglary of Hartes Homestore.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with a 12 weeks tagged curfew from 8pm to 7am and ordered to pay £200 compensation with £85 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a witness saw Walton removed a display window at Hartes, Bond Street, on February 7 at 5.10pm, and take ornaments

Police found Walton crouched down in a nearby alley. Some of the ornaments were on the ground near him and some were in his rucksack.

When interviewed he said he had had a row with his partner so he went out and committed the burglary. Walton added that he intended keeping some of the ornaments and sell others.

Walton had 61 previous offences on his record. The shop had said the window would cost £1,200 to repair.

Hugh Pond, defending, said his client trained and worked as a joiner but in his twenties became addicted to heroin.

The defence suggested the majority of Walton’s offending was to fund his drug addiction.

The previous day to the offence Walton had drunk a vast amount of lager and other alcohol into the early hours. During his arrest and handcuffing, his right wrist had been broken.

As he was a trained joiner Walton had been able to professionally removed the beading round the window and removed the glass undamaged.

Emma Foster, 49, malicious wounding causing grievous bodily harm

A wife accused of stabbing her husband and scalding him with water from a kettle has made her first appearance at court.

Emma Foster is alleged to have stabbed her husband three times in the arm with a kitchen knife at their home.

Foster, a 49-year-old mother-of-three, of Wensleydale Avenue, Grange Park, Blackpool, is charged with malicious wounding causing grievous bodily harm on February 25.

She is also accused of assaulting her husband with a crowbar on another occasion.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, asked for the case to go to crown court and opposed an application for bail for Foster by defence lawyer Steven Townley.

Foster was refused bail and remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on March 29.

Gothan Celebi, 22, drink-driving

A restaurant owner’s plea to a judge to be allowed to keep driving fell on deaf ears.

Gothan Celebi said he had to take over if one of his delivery drivers could not work and he feared it could make difficulties for his business if he could not get behind the wheel.

Celebi, 22, of Limerick Road, Bispham, was convicted after a trial in his absence of permitting a car to be used without insurance.

The court proceedings were relayed to him in Turkish by an interpreter.

He was disqualified from driving for six months under the penalty points totting-up procedure and fined £250 with £225 costs plus £25 victims’ surcharge by Judge Brailsford.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police stopped a man driving a Skoda Octavia on Dock Street, Fleetwood., on April 6 last year at 10pm.

The car showed as having no insurance and the man said he was delivering pizzas for Lili Italia, of Thornton.

Police were told that the Skoda had been sold to Celebi the owner of the Lili Italia. Celebi already had six motoring penalty points on his licence.

Celebi said if he was banned from the road it would cause him exceptional hardship.

He had to take over when a delivery driver could not work.

His wife also worked in the business and could not drive so he had to take her to work.

Ashley Champion, 36, breach of the peace

A man who had been drinking was arrested after returning to his home.

Ashley Champion, 36, of Ribble Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and was bound over in the sum of £200 for 12 months.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were called to a disturbance at the defendant’s address on February 27 at 2am.

Officers took Champion to Blackpool Victoria Hospital and advised him not to return to the address.

About half-an-hour later police were called back to the address, Champion was on the front step and refused to move.

Champion told the judge: “I did not have a lot to drink.

“All I wanted to do was go to bed. I told the police it was my home.”