Wigan's week in court

An eight-month prison sentence has been imposed on a 39-yearold Wigan man who flouted a restraining order and harassed a woman.

Robert Marsh, of Oak Green Road, Lowton, appeared before Wigan justices to admit to the harassment of a named female, the sending of texts and making of phone calls to her in defiance of a court order between March 7 and 18.

The hearing was told that the texts and calls were made within 24 hours of a court issuing the order.

The bench said he had shown a flagrant disregard for the law and sent him to prison.

A 44-year-old has admitted breaking into a school near his home to plunder a safe containing £1,000 plus sections of an artificial pitch.

Kieron Monks, of The Avenue, Billinge, stood before Manchester justices to plead guilty to entering Orrell Newfold Primary on February 23 and stealing the cash and £1,750 worth of Astroturf.

He was released on conditional bail until he is sentenced by Wigan magistrates on May 7.

A Wigan man has appeared in court accused of intentionally strangling a woman.

Jack Cunliffe, 25, from Ashton, stood before Manchester justices charged with deliberately throttling a named female, causing her actual bodily harm and smashing a £150 window on December 16.

He has not entered pleas to the charges yet and the case was sent to be heard next at Bolton Crown Court on April 16 before which he is on conditional bail.

A 40-year-old Wigan man is accused of launching a vicious attack and issuing threats to kill.

Craig McCormick, of Randall Avenue, Shevington, appeared before Manchester justices charged with intending to cause Wayne MacAleavy grievous bodily harm (the worst form of assault after attempted murder) and threatening to kill him.

He is further charged with causing Keith Roe actual bodily harm on March 21.

He was remanded in custody until April 26 when he makes his first appearance at Bolton Crown Court.

Sentencing of two Wigan men who admit being concerned in the supply of cannabis has been delayed by a month.

Ashley Hughes, 31, of Broadway Hindley, and Matthew Smith, 30, of Botany Close, Aspull, also pleaded guilty to possessing the category B drug with intent to supply it when they first appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge.

The offences took place between November 2020 and 2021.

The pair had been due to return to court for sentencing in March but the hearing has been adjourned until April 30.

A Wigan 34-year-old has admitted to subjecting a woman to domestic abuse for six years.

D'andru Smith, of Cedar Avenue, Lowton, appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge charged with controlling and coercive behaviour against a named woman between January 2016 and February 2023 and entered a guilty plea.

During that time was also accused of intentionally strangling her and assaulting her, causing actual bodily harm in November 2021 but denied these charges.

Sentencing was adjourned until May 16 before which he is on conditional bail.

The sentencing of two Wigan men for kidnap, false imprisonment, burglary and possession of an assault rifle has been delayed.

Darren Williams, 46, of Robson Place, Abram, and 38-year-old Dean Braham, of Brewery Lane, Leigh, had previously appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge to plead guilty to the serious charges and had been due to learn their fates at the end of March.

But the hearing has now been moved to April 17.

Magistrates have ruled that two trouble spot Wigan borough homes should remain no-go zones for visitors.

They ruled that Kara Edwards's address of 8 Thackery Place in Worsley Mesnes should remain the subject of a closure order for another three months after hearing it has been a magnet for anti-social behaviour and neighbour complaints.

And the same ruling was also made against Amy Fairhurst's home of 245 Maple Crescent in Leigh which also had its closure order extended.

Anyone other than residents or authorised visitors (such as the emergency services) attending those homes during the ban period can face criminal prosecution.

A Wigan couple are facing a bill of almost £800 for failing to ensure their son regularly attended class.

Angela and Dean Dawes were found guilty by the single justice procedure of allowing the truanting of the boy from Westhoughton High School between June 19 and July 21 last year.

Each was ordered to pay a costs, a victim services surcharge and a fine totalling £395.

A Wigan 30-year-old has appeared before justices accused of serious harassment and launching an attack.

Ben Hilton, of Porlock Close, Platt Bridge, entered not guilty pleas to putting Demi Thompson in fear of violence by harassment between February 14 and 17 this year and also to assaulting her by beating on February 10.

He was released on conditional bail until his next hearing on May 10.

A 39-year-old motorist who flouted a driving ban and refused to give police a breath test has been jailed for four months and further disqualified for more than five and a half years.

John Darbyshire, of Abbey Lane, Leigh, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to being at the wheel of a Citroen C3 on Warrington Road and Hey Street, Wigan, on March 16, to driving without insurance and failing to provide officers with a breath specimen.

Sending him to prison and imposing a new road ban of 67 months, the bench said they were incarcerating him because of past conditions and his flagrant disregard for court orders.

He must also pay £85 in court costs.