Blackpool: From the courts 27-07-17

Here is the latest round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court.
Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court

Mark Armstrong, 42, dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking

A driver accused of trying to ram three police cars on the M55 has made his first appearance at court.

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Mark Armstrong is alleged to have tried to crash into the police vehicles as they attempted to bring him to a stop in a rolling block manoeuvre on the motorway heading towards Blackpool.

He is said to have fled down the motorway after a police officer stopped him at Broughton roundabout because one of his tyres was punctured.

Armstrong, 42, of Wareham Road, Layton, pleaded not guilty to driving a Saab dangerously on the M55 on July 23.

He also denied the aggravated taking of his mother’s car without her permission.

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Prosecutor Martine Connah’s application that the case should be heard at crown court was not opposed by defence lawyer Steven Townley.

Armstrong was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on August 23.

He must not contact his mother or travel in any vehicle except as a passenger and must live at his given address and report twice a week to police as conditions of his bail.

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Ashley Calland, 22, drink-driving and possession of cannabis

A university student who fled an accident scene after crashing his car on Boxing Day was found on the roof of his home covered in blood.

Ashley Calland was taken to hospital where a blood test showed he was three times over the alcohol level.

Calland, 22, of Mains Lane, Poulton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, and possession of cannabis.

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He was sentenced to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community, banned from the road for 23 months and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police received a report a Peugeot was on its roof after crashing on Mains Lane on December 26 at 1.10am. An officer found the car extensively damaged with blood stains around the interior.

Checks showed Calland was the registered keeper of the car and lived three-quarters of a mile away so police went there.

Calland was found there on the roof and taken to hospital where he became so aggressive police had to restrain him.

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A blood test showed 241 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 80 is the limit. Cannabis valued at £700 by a police officer was found in the glove compartment of Calland’s car.

David Charnley, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had panicked and run after the crash.

Calland believed he must have been suffering from concussion which would account for his behaviour in the hospital

Dockside Ltd, failing to register as buyers of fist sale fish

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A Fleetwood company has been prosecuted for failing to register the amounts and values of fish bought from trawlermen.

Dockside Ltd, of Dock Road, Fleetwood, was fined and ordered to pay court costs totalling £4,710.

Dockside, represented by director Paul Wilson, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Fisheries Act of failing to register as buyers of first sale fish.

First sale fish are catches bought straight from trawlers rather than going through fish auctions.

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Invoices revealing the amount and type of fish and purchase value must be submitted to the Government Maritime Management Agency which monitors fish catches and stocks around the UK.

The court heard that Dockside Ltd had bought first sale fish for three years but had failed to register what it was doing.

In particular the firm had bought lobsters caught by local boats valued at £18,480 by the agency over the three year period.

Wilson , 61, of The Esplanade, Fleetwood told the hearing that his firm was now fully compliant with the registration demands.

“We were not hiding what we bought first sale.

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“The lobsters were in a tank in the middle of the aisle of our outlet.

“We had checked them for size and thought we had done everything correctly.

“In the end the first sale catches were just a small part of our business.”

Jamie Martindale, 25, drink-driving

A drunken learner driver spun his car 180 degrees in front of a police patrol at a roundabout at Blackpool.

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Jamie Martindale, who had never had a driving lesson, then took off the wrong way round the roundabout pursued by police who apprehended him to a retail park.

Martindale, 25, of Barn Croft, Leyland, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol without insurance or a licence.

He was disqualified from driving for 16 months and fined £120 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a police patrol at the Marton Circle roundabout saw Martindale driving a Ford Ka on the wrong way around the roundabout on June 20 at 1.05am.

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He stopped on Clifton Retail Park and a breath test later showed 57 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit,

Hugh Pond, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had bought the car intending to take driving lessons and pass his test.

Katy Harnett, 21, having a knife in public

A woman has appeared in court accused of having a knife on top of a Blackpool car park.

Katy Harnett, 21, of Althorpe Close, North Shore, is accused of possessing a blade in public on July 24.

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Defence lawyer Mitch Sarangi’s application that the case be adjourned for further inquiries was granted.

Martyn Finnigan, 27, drink-driving

A man was three times over the alcohol limit when he drove across the path of a police car.

Martyn Finnigan, 27, of Swallow Close, Thornton pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was sentenced to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community, banned from the road for 26 months and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge.

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Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Finnigan drove across the path of a police car on Amounderness Way on June 24 at 2.30am, in a Honda without lights on.

Police spoke to Finnigan after he pulled into his driveway. 
A breath test showed 104 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

David Charnley, defending, said his client, who helped with voluntary fund raising, had no previous convictions.

He made a gross error of judgement the night of the offence.

It had been hoped Finnigan would take over his parents’ business but that would now have to be put on hold because of the conviction.