Blackpool: From the courts 06-03-17

Louise Beard, 68, John Beard, 65, Louise Beaney, 42, Albareda Booker, 43, affray

Members of a family have made their first appearance at court accused of being involved in a fight with neighbours in which a 70-year-old woman is said to have been pushed over breaking her pelvis.

The four defendants are: Louise Beard, 68, of Bridgehouse Road, Marton, John Beard, 65, and Louise Beaney, 42, both of the same address, plus Albareda Booker, 43, of Carterville Close, all of Marton.

They all pleaded not guilty to affray at Blackpool on September 19 last year.

Louise Beard is also charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on the 70-year-old woman.

Beaney and Booker are further accused of assaulting a woman causing her actual bodily harm and assaulting another woman. John Beard is also alleged to have assaulted a man.

The defendants were bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on April 5 by magistrates.

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

James Howard, 32, drunk and disorderly

A man on licence from prison was abusive to door staff and police after drinking.

James Howard, 32, of High Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

He was fined £40 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police saw door staff had detained Howard on the floor on February 10 at 3am after he attempted to fight with them.

When police arrested him he tensed his arms, refused to speak to the custody sergeant and swore at police station staff.

Peter Moran, for the probation service, said Howard was currently on licence for an offence of robbery for which he was sentenced to 96 months jail. He was not being recalled to jail.

Howard told magistrates: “I was drunk but the bouncers had no right to put their hands on me. I wasn’t being rude or a nuisance.”

Joseph Edwards, 55, theft

A man was unable to attend court because he had gone to visit a close relative who had just been diagnosed with cancer.

Joseph Edwards, 55, of Moore Street, South Shore, faces five offences of theft of CD’s and DVD’s valued together at £1,470 from shops in the resort and Fleetwood.

Edwards had his case adjourned by magistrates.

Rebecca Garner, 21, drink-driving

A woman driver who had been drinking vodka smashed into three parked cars.

Rebecca Garner, of Rodney Avenue, St Annes, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was banned from the road for 20 months and fined £250 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a witness saw Garner driving a Citroen on Palatine Road on February 10 about midnight, where she crashed into three parked cars. A breath test showed 72 micrograms of alcohol in her body – 35 is the limit.

Garner told police she had been at a friend’s and drunk three large vodkas and cokes.

She said she remembered hitting a car but her recollection was foggy because of the alcohol.

She added she used alcohol daily to help her sleep but she could do without drink.

Robert Castle, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had co-operated with police and not prevaricated. She apologised.

Carl Frost, 30, breach of restraining order

A woman who had once been strangled by her boyfriend told a court that she wanted him back.

The woman had been repeatedly beaten by partner Carl Frost.

In one of his attacks he wrapped a towel round her head and told her: “I’ll stop you screaming.”

She asked for a restraining order which prevented Frost from contacting her to be lifted saying she had provoked him.

Frost, 30, of Queens Promenade, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order and a suspended prison sentence.

He was sentenced to do 40 hours unpaid work for the community and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by magistrates who agreed to removed the restraining order against Frost.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said the restraining order was placed on Frost after two offences of assault.

In the last year he punched her on the nose, called her a liar and a cheat, wrapped her head in a towel and put his hands round her throat stopping her breathing.

In the second on Christmas Eve she challenged him after he went out. He punched her in the face causing her nose to bleed and grabbed her throat. His mother tried to intervene and he assaulted her by pushing her into a chair.

On February 16 this year Frost breached the order when he was found in a car at Singleton with the victim.

She told magistrates:”When I made the first statement I was very drunk. It’s mostly my fault. I have a very bad mouth and probably hit him first.

“I never asked for the restraining order. It would be hard not to see him. We have a lot of the same friends and I feel we could get back together.”

She added that she had applied to the court to get the restraining order lifted.

She had got a letter in reply from the court and believed the order had been lifted.

She had then called Frost telling him the order had been lifted and asking him to pick her up.

James Hammond and Liam Yates, both 19, malicious wounding with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm

Teenagers accused of attacking a man in a fast food restaurant fracturing his eye socket, cheekbone and nose have made their first appearance at court.

James Hammond and Liam Yates are alleged to have taken part in the attack in which the victim was said to have hit his head on a table and been repeatedly kicked and punched while he was unconscious on the floor.

Hammond, of Walpole Avenue, and Yates, of Endsleigh Gardens, both of South Shore, are charged with maliciously wounding a man with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

The offence is alleged to have taken place in McDonalds, Bank Hey Street, Blackpool, on April 30 last year.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said the case must be heard at crown court.

The defendants indicated they would plead not guilty to the offence.

The defendants were bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on April 5 by magistrates.

They must not contact each other as a condition of their bail.