Blackpool: From the courts 08-08-17

Robert Charleton, 31, theft.

A man repeatedly went shoplifting to fund his £50-a-day heroin habit.

Robert Charleton, 31, of no fixed address, admitted five offences of theft from shops.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, put on six months drug rehabilitation, fined £50 and ordered to pay £100 compensation.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Charleton stole items including headphones, video sets, coffee and hair straighteners from shops in Blackpool, between July 8 and August 1.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said at the time his client was using up to five bags of heroin costing up to £50 a day.

Andrew Farren, 65, benefit fraud

A pensioner has made his first appearance at court accused of benefit fraud.Andrew Farren, 65, of Meadow Avenue, Preesall, pleaded not guilty to dishonestly failing to disclose he and his wife were in receipt of private pensions to obtain just under £3,500 of Employment Support Allowance between December 2014 and June last year.

Farren’s case was adjourned for further inquiries.

Jody Langford, 23, assault and criminal damage

A man accused of using violence to enter an address on Fleetwood’s Grasscroft Close has appeared at court over the video-link.

Jody Langford, 23, of Larkholme Lane, Fleetwood, is also alleged to have assaulted a former girlfriend, stolen her mobile phone and damaged her television and rear door.

Prosecutor, Malcolm Isherwood, asked for the case to be heard at crown court.Langford was remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on August 30.

Suzanne Boyle, 27, theft

A woman went shoplifting because she was struggling financially after being seriously ill in hospital.

Suzanne Boyle, 27, of Holmfield Road, North Shore, appeared over the court video-link and pleaded guilty to theft.

She was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Boyle was apprehended after stealing detergent and bacon valued at £20 from the resort’s Home Bargains on June 20.

Boyle was currently serving a 12 weeks prison sentence imposed for an offence of shoplifting.Steven Townley, defending, said Boyle had spent weeks in hospital, including the intensive

care unit, with a bone disorder.

Her benefits were stopped and when she came out of hospital she found herself struggling financially

Jamie Baileu, 27, damage

A stag do in Blackpool made-up of only the groom-to-be and his best man ended in disaster.The duo became separated so groom-to-be Jamie Bailey returned to his friend’s car and

smashed a window to get in.

The car owner was so furious he refused to be best man and did not attend Bailey’s wedding a few weeks later.

Bailey, 27, of Carson Avenue, Dinnington, Sheffield, who owns a handyman business, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

He was fined £85 with £85 costs and ordered to pay his former friend £200 compensation plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said he and the friend who was to be his best man had come on a mini stag do.They booked into a hotel and the friend parked outside before going out on

the town. There was no animosity between them.

Bailey thought he must have wanted to get something from the car or to sleep in it, but did not really know why he broke in because he was so drunk.

Ms Mugford added: “He and the friend no longer speak. The defendant got married a few weeks ago and the friend who was to have been best man did not attend.”

Tommy-Joe Hartley, 24, refusal to provide a specimen of blood

A man blamed a fear of needles for his refusal to give a blood sample at Blackpool ‘s police headquarters.

TommyJoe Hartley, 24, of Erdington Road has been arrested for drunk driving when a police officer saw him almost hit the kerb.

He failed roadside breath test and when he was taken o the station refused to take a second breath test claiming he had suffered from a serious chest illness.

He then refused to do a blood test saying he was frightened of needles.

District Judge Duncan Birrell ordered Hartley to do 80 hours unpaid work for the community.

He was banned from the road for 17 months and ordered to pay £250 court costs.