Blackpool: From the courts 04-01-17

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

A cyclist who came under police suspicion because he was riding a different bicycle to the one an officer had previously seen him on was found with drugs.

Martin Parsons, 37, of Raikes Parade, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin and failing to attend court.

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He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with 12 months drug rehabilitation and fined £50 with £85 victims’ surcharge by magistrates who ordered the destruction of the drugs.

Prosecutor, Kerry Grieve, said a police officer on patrol in the resort’s Hornby Road on December 10 at 3.15am, saw Parsons on a different bike to one he had been riding previously. The officer knew Parsons had a prolific record for theft and was suspicious.

Parsons was searched and a small packet of heroin was found in his pocket. He had a previous record of 143 offences, mainly for theft, and was on a suspended prison sentence at the time of the offence.

David Charnley, defending, said his client had been trying to come off heroin and was on a methadone prescription. His methadone dose had then been reduced by drug specialists. Parsons felt it had been reduced too much and resorted to taking some street heroin to top up.

Since the offence his methadone dose had been upped again.

Claire Snowden, 32, theft

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A mother whose miserable Christmas included a lone dinner of just tuna and pasta turned to theft to make ends meet.

Claire Snowden’s world had fallen apart over the last few months after her children were put into care because she had been in a relationship with a man who was abusive and her benefits money was also stopped, the court heard.

Snowden, 32, of Withnell Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and asked for two offences of theft to be taken into consideration.

She was sentenced to pay £339 compensation by magistrates who imposed no other penalty.

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Prosecutor, Kerry Grieve, said Snowden went into HMV, Bank Hey Street, on December 29 and 30 and January 2, and stole a £169 speaker on each occasion.

She was caught the last time she went into the shop and told police she had sold the other two speakers for £80 each.

Peter Manning, defending, said Snowden’s world had collapsed after her children were taken into care because she had been in a relationship with an abusive man.

She had had no previous involvement with drugs but started taking some because of the stress she was under. A letter from the benefits agency asking her to attend an appointment did not reach her. As a result her benefits were stopped.

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Mr Manning said: “She had a miserable Christmas. For her Christmas dinner she had a tin of tuna and some pasta. She has had no support from anyone. She stole items to get money to survive.”

Youth, 16, breach of bail conditions

A teenager who had been allowed out of custody on strict bail conditions after being accused of robbing and stabbing a male victim broke the conditions by being out on New Year’s Eve.

The 16-year-old defendant, from South Shore, who can not be identified for legal reasons, had been allowed conditional bail. One of the conditions was that he kept a 7pm to 7am curfew inside his home.

The company monitoring the teenager’s tagged curfew was alerted he was not at home on December 31. The second time they telephoned his address to ask why, his father admitted he was out and he did not know where he was.

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The teenager pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a bail condition. It was his second breach of bail.

Prosecutor, Kerry Grieve, told the court that the boy had been accused of robbery wounding and possessing an offensive weapon and was to appear at Preston Crown Court on January 25.

He had been bailed on the condition he lived at his current address, did not contact a co-defendant and prosecution witnesses and kept an overnight curfew at his home.

On New Year’s Eve the teenager was not at home just after 7pm. He returned home on January 2.

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Stephen Duffy, defending, said the teenager had gone out to visit a friend in the afternoon. He then realised it was after the start time of his curfew and was too scared to go home.

He had returned on January 2 and the firm monitoring his tag alerted the police who arrested him. He had been in custody since 10.20am the previous day.

Magistrates agreed to rebail him.

Charlotte Nicholls, 30. assault and criminal damage

A woman accused of biting her girlfriend’s finger and headbutting her in Fleetwood has made her first appearance at court.

Charlotte Nicholls, 30, of Grasmere Road, Blackpool, pleaded not guilty to assault and denied damaging her partner’s phone.

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Nicholls was bailed for trial on February 23 by magistrates. She must not contact the complainant or enter Garfield Road, Fleetwood, as conditions of her bail.

Sam Booth, 24, criminal damage

A defendant who said he was ill and unable to attend court has been put on the wanted list.

Sam Booth, 24, of Fredora Avenue, Marton, had pleaded guilty to causing £373 of damage to a motor vehicle belonging to a woman at Blackpool.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said Booth has contacted his firm to say he was ill.

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Kerry Grieve, prosecuting, said it was the third time the defendant had said he was ill and asked for a warrant without bail.

In the past he had not produced medical evidence for the times he had not attended court.

magistrates issued a warrant without bail for Booth’s arrest.

Christopher Marfleet, 28, harassment

A man accused of making unwanted contact with his former girlfriend on numerous occasions has appeared at court.

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Christopher Marfleet, 28, The Strand, of Fleetwood, pleaded not guilty to harassing his ex in August last year.

He was bailed to February 21 for trial by magistrates.

Arron Malone, 27, harassment

A defendant who failed to attend court has been put on the wanted list.

Arron Malone, 27, of Commercial Street, Briarfield, Nelson, should have been present for the first hearing of offence against him of harassing a woman. He is alleged to have to have harassed a woman at Blackpool by making unwanted phone calls. A warrant for his arrest was issued by magistrates.