Wigan's week in court

A man has been accused of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Mark Fitton, 55, of Brooklands Avenue, Atherton, is alleged to have tried to contact a girl under the age of 16 between August 17, 2022 and November 12, 2022.

He will appear at Bolton Crown Court on March 27.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Wigan man accused of dealing crack and heroin after he failed to appear before a judge.

Christopher Smalley had been due to attend Bolton Crown Court for a pre-trial preparation hearing on Monday, February 26, but the 53-year-old of Closebrook Road, Pemberton, was a no-show.

He has yet to enter any pleas but a trial date of October 14, 2025 has already been scheduled in case he denies the charges.

A co-accused - Rosalyn Blackley, 62, of Chapel Street in Leigh - has already pleaded not guilty to the same two charges.

A 24-year-old has been jailed for three years and two months for burglary and an attempted break-in.

Callum Edwards, of Chapel Street, Pemberton, pleaded guilty to stealing a bike after breaking into a house in Sherborne Road, Orrell, interfering with a Honda CRV and trying to burgle an address on Smith Avenue, also in the township, all on August 16 last year.

He also admitted to interfering with a vehicle and was given the custodial sentence by a Bolton Crown Court judge.

A Wigan 42-year-old who breached a domestic violence protection order and has openly admitted that he would do it again has been sent to prison at his own request.

Stuart Moran, of Hodder Close, Norley, appeared before borough justices to admit the breach made on the very same day - January 25 - that it was issued by Manchester justices.

The hearing was told "The defendant has stated that he will not comply with the DVPO and will return to the address which he is prohibited from approaching, that the parties wish to be in a relationship and will continue to be in contact.

"He also stated that he would not pay a fine if one were imposed.

"The defendant has asked to be sentenced to imprisonment and that will mean that the purpose of the order will be realised.”

Moran was therefore given two months in custody for public protection.

A 38-year-old Wigan woman who flouted a motoring ban while over the drink-drive limit has received a suspended prison sentence.

Andrea Mullins, from Worsley Green in Pemberton, appeared before borough justices to admit breaching a disqualification from driving, driving without insurance and giving a reading of 55 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath when she was stopped by police on January 8 in Leigh.

The legal drink-drive limit is 35 microgrammes.

Justices were told that this was the second time she had been caught over the limit and that the original ban had only recently been imposed when she failed to observe it.

Mullins was given a six-week custodial sentence but it was suspended for 18 months.

She has now been banned from the road for 40 months and must complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities and pay £85 in court costs.

A young man has been remanded in custody after admitting he attacked a woman, smashed a window and wrecked her mobile phone.

Kian Liptrot, 20, of Vincent Way, Marsh Green, appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead guilty to assaulting a named woman, causing her actual bodily harm and damaging her phone on February 1 and to breaking the window the next day.

He was put behind bars pending his sentencing hearing at the same court on March 15.

A Wigan woman is awaiting her fate after admitting to stalking, assault and drug possession.

Lorene Ryan, 36, of Lockgate Place, Worsley Mesnes, stood before borough justices to plead guilty to stalking Melanie Waite, causing serious distress, from January 1 to February 22, to the assault by beating of Gary Grimes on February 21 and having a quantity of cannabis for her own use the following day.

The case was adjourned for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

Ryan was released on conditional bail until she learns her fate on April 5.

A shoplifter who twice stole candles from the same store has been sent to prison.

Wigan magistrates were told that 24-year-old Jake Beamish, of no fixed address, had committed the crimes while already serving a suspended sentence and so the custody was this time imposed.

The hearing was told he had stolen Yankee candles from TK Maxx on January 8 and February 22.

He was given a total sentence of 16 weeks behind bars.

A Wigan pensioner convicted of molesting a woman has died before he could be sentenced.

Ion Curt, 66, Manley Street, Ince, had denied sexually assaulting his victim on April 21, 2022, but when it came to his trial at the borough's magistrates' court, he failed to attend and was found guilty in his absence.

A warrant was issued for his arrest but at the latest hearing it was disclosed that Curt had died and so the case was withdrawn.

A 26-year-old is back behind bars for committing crimes no sooner had he been released from his last prison spell.

Jaye Cooke, 26, of Beech Hill Avenue, Beech Hill, appeared before Wigan justices to admit to smashing a television and a window belonging to Samantha Walsh on February 17.

He was jailed for eight weeks, the crimes being exacerbated by the fact that he had only just come out of prison, that there was a domestic violence aspect and that they were witnessed by a child.

A restraining order was imposed preventing contact with Ms Walsh until February 23, 2027 and he must pay his victim £400 compensation.

A Wigan man has been accused of attacking the same woman six times in less than two months.

Kane Richardson, 22, of Crescent Road, Bickershaw, appeared before borough justices charged with causing Bethany Maher actual bodily harm on both December 12 and January 26 and assaulting her by beating on January 3, 12, 27 and 29.

He has pleaded not guilty to four of the charges but not yet pleaded to the allegations on December 12 and January 26.

Richardson was released on conditional bail pending a first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on April 2.

A Wigan borough man accused of flashing is set to appear before a crown court judge.

Steven Rushworth, 48, of Fell Street, Leigh, is accused of exposing himself in Bolton on November 4.

Wigan justices sent the case to Bolton Crown Court for a hearing on March 27.

He was remanded on unconditional bail.

A man has denied stalking a woman for 10 days.

Simon Wagstaff, 34, of Cowper Street, Leigh, is charged with stalking her, which included phoning her multiple times, between February 3 and 13.

Wigan magistrates adjourned the hearing for a trial on November 4.

He was remanded on bail with conditions which included not contacting the complainant directly or indirectly.

A man who got behind the wheel while disqualified and twice breached a restraining order has been jailed.

Dean Lally, 43, of Fell Street, Leigh, pleaded guilty to taking a Vauxhall Astra without the owner's consent on February 19 and driving it in Hindley on February 20 while disqualified and without insurance.

He also admitted being over the drink-drive limit, as he had 122mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath - the legal limit is 35mcg.

Lally pleaded guilty to twice breaching a restraining order by going to the home of a woman he was forbidden to contact on December 15 and February 19.

Wigan magistrates sentenced him to a total of 36 weeks in prison, imposed a two-year restraining order and banned him from driving for 40 months.

A Wigan man who stole two bottles of vodka and an electric toothbrush from a supermarket has been jailed.

Joshua Hughes, 26, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to taking a toothbrush worth £70 from Asda in Wigan on February 13 and two bottles of vodka worth £66 from the same store on February 20.

Wigan justices sent him to prison for 16 weeks and ordered him to pay £136 compensation.

A woman who admitted stealing £10 will find out her punishment next month.

Alison Atkinson, 50, of Bowling Green Row, Atherton, pleaded guilty to stealing the money from a woman in Leigh on September 19.

Wigan magistrates will hand down their sentence on March 28.

She was remanded on conditional bail.

A Wigan man who stole protein powder from a shop and attacked a woman has appeared in court.

Steven West, 38, of Dovedale Road, Ashton, pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman by beating her and stealing protein powder worth £18 from Home Bargains in Ashton on July 13.

He also admitted being in possession of class A drugs crack cocaine and heroin on December 12.

He was remanded on conditional bail until a sentencing hearing at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court on March 28.

A Wigan motorist who was more than three times over the drink-drive limit has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Sean Ryder, 40, of Sawyer Drive, Ashton, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a car on December 15 with 127mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, over the legal limit of 35mcg.

Wigan magistrates imposed a four-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Ryder must also abstain from alcohol for 120 days, do 15 days of rehabilitation activities, and pay a £154 surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

He was banned from driving for 12 months.

A Wigan teenager has admitted threatening a man with a machete and possessing an imitation firearm.

The 17-year-old boy - who cannot be named due to his age - threatened the man in Bolton on January 7, making him believe there was an immediate risk of physical harm.

He also had an imitation firearm - a black BB gun - which caused the same man to fear violence.

The boy also committed a robbery on April 15, in which he stole a Gucci bag containing a hat and phone charger.

Wigan magistrates imposed a 12-month youth rehabilitation order with intensive supervision and surveillance, which includes an overnight curfew for three months.

He must pay £400 compensation and the weapons will be destroyed.

A Wigan 28-year-old has been cleared of involvement in an aggravated burglary.

Curtis Fox, of Warrington Road, Wigan, stood trial at Bolton Crown Court along with Warren Fox, 23, of Skylark Close, Southport, and 56-year-old Shaun Hastings to deny the same serious charge.

But while the latter two were found guilty, Curtis Fox was discharged. Hastings was given a two-year sentence while Warren Fox, who had also denied possessing a firearm, was given a custodial term lasting three and a half years.

A Wigan borough man is awaiting sentence after admitting that he committed a burglary.

Keegan Nolan, 26, of Kenilworth Drive, Leigh, had been accused of unlawfully entering a flat on Bond Street, Leigh, on April 22 last year with intent to steal.

On his first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge, he pleaded guilty.

The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports and Nolan will learn his fate on March 25.

A man has denied stealing a central heating system from an empty Wigan borough pub.

Christopher Davies, 44, of Peter Street, Leigh, faces two charges of burglary relating to the Waterside Inn in Leigh.

It is alleged he stole electrical items between March 5 and 8 last year and a central heating system, along with copper and lead piping, between March 6 and 8.

Making his first appearance at Bolton Crown Court he entered not guilty pleas to both charges and a trial date was set for November 19.

A pre-trial review was also scheduled for June 12.

The Waterside Inn closed in 2020, but plans to reopen it were shared on social media in November.

A Wigan motorist who admitted to dangerous driving and other offences on the road has been spared an immediate spell behind bars.

Matthew Roe, 34, of Manchester Road, Ince, had appeared before Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court to plead guilty to dangerously driving a Ford Transit van on Bolton Road on January 5 and also to doing so without a licence or insurance.

A further charge of failing to stop for police was withdrawn.

Appearing before a Bolton Crown Court judge for sentencing, Roe was given a 10-month custodial sentence but it was suspended for 18 months.

He was banned from the road for two years and can only legitimately drive again after taking an extended driving test.

His punishment also includes completing 30 days of rehabilitation activities while paying £387 to the courts and victim services.

A 40-year-old has admitted breaking into a borough hospitality venue.

Stephen Grimshaw, of Chaucer Grove in Leigh, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to the single charge of burgling Westleigh Village Club on November 13 with intent to steal.

He was given a 16-week prison sentence but it was suspended for 18 months.

However he must also complete a drug treatment programme and 25 days of rehab activities while paying £217 in compensation.