Blackpool: From the courts 31-07-17

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

Alfie Woods, 32, failing to comply with a condition of his Sex Offenders Registration Order

A convicted paedophile broke the law when he moved to Blackpool with his pregnant partner and a child without telling police.

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Alfie Woods, a 32-year-old former soldier, formerly of Richmond Road, North Shore, now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a condition of his Sex Offender’s Registration Order.

He was sentenced to six weeks jail suspended 15 months, put on a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and ordered to pay £85 costs with £115 victims’ surcharge by District Judge John Maxwell sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

The court was told that following a conviction for possessing indecent pictures of children Woods had been put on the Sex Offender’s Register for seven years and later on an indefinite Sex Offences Prevention Order.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police inquiries revealed that on July 9 Woods had moved to Blackpool from Doncaster but had not notified police of his change of address as he was required to do. It was his second breach of the order.

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He was with his six months pregnant girlfriend and a young toddler and they were staying at a friend’s address in Blackpool where there were two young children living. The friend had been unaware of Woods’ conviction.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had been doing some work for travellers in Doncaster. They stopped paying him so he said he would not work for them any more.

The travellers insisted Woods continue to do roofing work for them and started making threats against him and his partner, so they decided they must leave for their own safety.

Woods did not tell the police of the move as he felt they would not approve his new address.

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Gerald Taylor, 43, threatening to cause damage and failing to answer bail

A man threatened to smash windows at Fleetwood police station then put a brick on the inquiry desk.

Gerald Taylor, 43, of Balmoral Terrace, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to threatening to cause damage and failing to answer bail.

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He was fined £100 and ordered to pay £50 compensation to the police station inquiry desk assistant plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Taylor went into Fleetwood police station and demanded to see a police officer on June 19.

The inquiry desk assistant believed he was under the influence of alcohol and said he should come back when he was sober and make an appointment to see an officer.

Taylor walked out saying: “Say goodbye to your windows.” He returned later, put a brick on the inquiry desk and again demanded to see an officer.

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Steven Townley, defending, said his client had been assaulted by a man and went to the police station to make a complaint because he felt in danger.

He had drunk just one can of beer and was not drunk. He became frustrated and felt he was being fobbed off because he could not see an officer at once.

Peter Cuddy, 47, assault

A man grabbed his former wife by both ears and twisted one of them during an argument.

Peter Cuddy also punched her in the side of the face in a separate incident after he had been drinking.

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Cuddy, 47, of St Andrews Road South, St Annes, pleaded guilty to two offences of assaulting his ex.

Sentence was deferred on him for four months.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Cuddy and his former wife lived at the same address.

On July 4 Cuddy’s ex said he was extremely drunk and kept trying to snatch her phone off her.

In the fracas he grabbed both her ears, squeezed them and twisted her right ear.

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When police arrived she told an officer that three days previously Cuddy had punched her in the side of the face after drinking.

When interviewed Cuddy said he had drunk eight pints and could not remember when questioned about the July 4 assault.

Steven Townley, defending, said Cuddy had now accepted he had an alcohol problem. His ex was supporting him and he was due to start a home detoxification and afterwards a residential alcohol rehabilitation course.

Karl Thompson, 31, robbery

A man accused of robbing another man of £100 in the street at Blackpool has appeared at court over the video link.

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Karl Thompson, aged 31, of Harrison Street, Blackpool, is alleged to have committed the offence on February 20.

Thompson was remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on August 30.

Damian Davis, 24, accused of assault

A man accused of dragging his girlfriend down the stairs by her hair before punching her on the top of the head has made his first appearance at court.

Damian Davis, aged 24, formerly of Central Drive, Blackpool, now living in the resort’s Hornby Road pleaded not guilty to assault.

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Davis was refused bail and remanded in custody towards his trial on August 16.

Kelly McDermott, 35, fraud

A former quantity surveyor committed crime to fund her use of up to two bags of heroin a day.

Kelly McDermott, a 35-year-old mother-of-two, of Cross Street, North Shore, pleaded guilty to fraud, failing to answer bail and breaching a conditional discharge imposed for theft

She was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service with six months drug rehabilitation and fined £10 with £85 costs plus £115 victims’ surcharge.

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Presiding magistrate, David Hearton, told her: “You are not unintelligent. It seems heroin has got the better of you and you have got yourself in a vicious circle.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a security officer at Primark saw McDermott pick up an item in the shop and got to the customer inquiry desk on July 27.

She then produced an old receipt for a similar item and obtained a refund of £20 before being apprehended by the security officer.

McDermott had numerous previous offences of fraud and theft on her record.

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David Charnley, defending, said: “It seems such a shame for someone who is clearly intelligent to go from having a decent life contributing positively to descending to the bottom of the spectrum and how quickly that can happen.

“She needs help to address her drug use.”