Blackpool: From the courts 10-01-17

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

Leon Miller, 19, assault

A teenager who stabbed a detective constable in a police station has gone on the run.

Leon Miller, 19, formerly of Kipling Drive, Blackpool, today appeared at court and pleaded guilty to assaulting the officer, plus burgling the supported living accommodation he was staying at.

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His case was adjourned so a pre-sentence report could be prepared on him to be presented to magistrates later in the day, but he absconded from the courthouse.

Blackpool magistrates then issued a warrant without bail for his arrest.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, told the court that on January 6 Miller took keys to the petty cash safe at Bluebell Court, Kipling Drive, where he was living in supported accommodation. He stole £27 from the safe which he said he spent on the drug Spice.

When being interviewed by police at Blackpool Police Headquarters Miller had to sign a document and he plunged a pen into a detective’s hand.

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Howard Green, defending, said his client had been diagnosed as suffering from psychosis which it was believed was drug induced by his use of Spice. The defence added that Miller had been in a fraught state when he was interviewed and caught the detective with the pen.

Richard Sleet, 33, theft

A prolific thief with a criminal record of 114 offences has been jailed.

Richard Sleet, 33, formerly of Sutherland Road, North Shore, now of no fixed address, was found guilty of theft after a trial in his absence. He admitted failing to answer bail and attend court.

He was sentenced to 56 days imprisonment and ordered to pay £60 compensation plus £80 victims’ surcharge.

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Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Sleet was caught on CCTV at the One Stop Shop, Chatsworth Avenue, Fleetwood on February 28, putting 12 packets of cheese valued at £60 in his rucksack and walking out without paying.

The prosecutor added: “He has a significant number of similar offences on his record.”

Steven Townley, defending, said Sleet disputed he was the man on the CCTV stealing the cheese. Sleet did not attend the trial because at the time his girlfriend was very ill and he had to look after the children.

Reagan Hilton, 18, harassment

A teenager accused of harassing a male witness by saying “snitches get stitches” has had a hearing of his case at court.

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Reagan Hilton, 18, of Osborne Road, South Shore, had his case adjourned by Blackpool magistrates.

Wayne Jones, 39, ailing to comply with a court ordered curfew

A man breached a community order when he went missing for a total of 38 hours during which he should have been inside his home.

Wayne Jones, a 39-year-old carpet fitter, formerly of Bannister Street, Lytham, now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a court ordered curfew.

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He was fined £130. 
The court was told that Jones had been sentenced to an eight weeks curfew for an offence of disqualified driving and having no insurance. Monitoring equipment showed he had been missing from his address for 38 hours of his curfew.

Steven Townley, defending, said at the time of the curfew Jones and his girlfriend began having relationship problems and he was thrown out of the house on several occasions.

Matthew Bradley, 25, damage

A man left a trail of blood in a woman’s home after kicking in her front door.

Crime scene investigators matched the blood to Matthew Bradley who said he did not know the woman and perhaps he had been drunk.

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Bradley, 25, who is a prisoner at Manchester Prison, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

He was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment and ordered to pay £170 compensation.

Bradley, who was appearing over the court video-link, shouted at the bench: “I ain’t paying a penny.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a woman living on Derby Road, North Shore, heard loud bangs at her front door on September 30 at 6pm.

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She found the door had been kicked in and there was blood on the door, in the hall and on the walls up the stairs.

When interviewed Bradley said he had once lived on that street but he could not remember causing any damage,

He was currently a serving prisoner having been recalled to jail on an offence of robbery.

Brett Chappell, defending, said his client had been interviewed in prison by the police and had co-operated with officers. 
He had entered an early guilty plea.

Mark Howarth, 42, drunk and disorderly

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A man who made a drunken nuisance of himself in St Annes was arrested only four days after being released from prison.

Mark Howarth went into a convenience store, a tanning salon and a barber’s then refused to leave saying he was doing no harm.

Howarth, 42, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

He was fined £40 with £30 victims’ surcharge but could not pay immediately so magistrates said he should remain in the confines of the court until 1pm instead of paying the financial penalties.

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Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said on a police officer was called to the One Stop Shop on The Crecent, St Annes January 7 at 9.45am. 
Staff said he would not leave and the officer said he should do so.

Later Howarth went into the nearby Sunbeam Tanning Salon. 
He was drunk and aggressive when asked to leave. 
After he went into a barber’s on Wood Street the police officer arrested him.

The court was told Howarth had been released from prison on Tuesday after serving a sentence for breaching a restraining order.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Howarth, who was an alcoholic, had been threatened outside the prison when he was discharged, so he spent his discharge grant on alcohol and got drunk. 
He had now been recalled to prison.

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Mr Nelligan said: “It was difficult because he had nowhere to stay and he was cold. 
“He was trying to get out of the cold.”

Michael Rhodes, 46, assault

A man has pleaded not guilty to assault and resisting arrest by a police officer.

Michael Rhodes, 46, of Sherbourne Road, North Shore, who appeared before the court by video-link, was remanded in custody.