Blackpool: From the courts 01-06-18

Christopher Lee, 35, threatening behaviour

A doorman was described as being aggressive towards a police sergeant and spoiling for a fight.

Christopher Lee’s eyes were said to be bulging and his body tense as he resisted moving away from another group of men near the Litten Tree in Queen Street, during Blackpool’s fireworks championships.

Lee, 35, of Sedburgh Avenue, Marton, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £150 costs with £20 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were asked to go to attend a disturbance between a group of men in black jackets and another group on September 29 last year at 9.15pm.

Lee, who was with the group in black jackets, thrust his mobile phone in a police sergeant’s face and refused to move back when asked.

The area was busy with people of all ages and Lee’s behaviour became more aggressive. Robert Castle, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had used words during the incident, which he later regretted.

The police were unaware that Lee and his door supervisor colleagues had been attacked. Lee and his colleagues had been trying to get the police to take action against that group.

Louise Castro, 57, breach of bail

A woman described by police as the most prolific protestor against fracking has appeared at court.

Louise Castro broke the law when she went to the area opposite the entrance to Cuadrilla’s shale gas site, Preston New Road.

She had previously been bailed by a court on the condition she went nowhere near the site.

Castro, 57, from Hull, admitted breaching her bail.

Magistrates agreed to rebail Castro with the stricter condition that she does not enter the Borough of Fylde except to attend court.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said Castro had been bailed previously with the condition she did not go onto the A583 between Maple Farm and Westby Road, an area which covers the entrance to the fracking site.

On May 28, Castro had been found at junction of the entrance to the Cuadrilla site where she had confined herself in a “cramped structure” for 24 hours.Mr Mowbray said: “This is the

fourth time she had been arrested this year involving anti-fracking protesting. The police say she has now become the most prolific protestor to deal with.

“It is asked she be bailed out of the Borough of Fylde to stop her being arrested and for her own safety. She was protesting in a cramped structure for 24 hours when it was extremely hot.”

Castro said she had believed she was no longer subject to the bail conditions which prevented her going onto the A583 between Maple Farm and Westby Road.

She added her solicitor had said she had appealed against that bail condition at crown court.

Castro said when she was arrested again she was told there were no bail conditions against her name, so she thought the appeal had been successful.

She opposed being bailed on the condition she could not enter the Borough of Fylde saying she wanted to make her home at the protest camp at Blackpool.

Jane McTaggart, 60, and Kayleigh McTaggart, 29, cruelty to a dog

A mother and daughter have appeared in the dock charged with cruelty to their pet dog.

Jane McTaggart, 60, of Osborne Road denies being cruel to Milly by failing to deal with an injury caused by a tight collar.

She pleaded guilty to the offence in a prosecution brought by the RSPC.

Her daughter Kayleigh, 29, of the same address faces the same allegation which she denies and her trial will take place at the court on August 8.

Daniel Taylor, 24, failing to carry out unpaid work

A 24-year-old Blackpool man claimed he could not do unpaid work for the community because he had been manhandled whilst in police custody.

Daniel Taylor’s solicitor Brett Chappell said he was actively pursuing a complaint against the police after his client was released from custody without charge.

“It would appear that while under arrest Mr Taylor suffered two cracked ribs because he says he was manhandled,” said the lawyer.

Taylor of Butler Street, North Shore, admitted he did not turn up to do his community punishment.

Mr Chappell added: “He was unfit to do the work and knows any breach of such an order is a serious matter. What he should have done was provide medical evidence.”

Taylor was fined £50 and told to pay £30 costs.