Wigan court round-up

An already serving prisoner has had 16 weeks added onto his sentence after he admitted to fraud charges relating to stolen bank cards before he was locked up. David Simpson, 41, of HMP Risley, appeared before Wigan justices to admit to receiving stolen bank cards on February 21 belonging to Joyce and Lindi Lloyd and then used them to make purchases at a Wigan Texaco garage. He must also pay £122 to victim services.

A man was caught driving under the influence of cocaine twice in less than a week, Wigan justices heard. James Higgins, 34, of Masefield Drive, Worsley Mesnes, has yet to enter a plea to charges of having illegal levels of benzoylecgonine in his system when police stopped a Ford Fiesta firstly on Masefield Drive on October 6 and then the same car again on October 12 on Worsley Mesnes Drive. The case was adjourned to May 6.

A Wigan man accused of causing an horrific crash which left a man with life-changing injuries remains at large after failing to appear before justices before Christmas. Buhus Sorin, 19, of Barnsley Street, Gidlow is charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving otherwise in accordance with a licence. He was arrested following a three-vehicle smash on the afternoon of July 27 in Walkden Avenue East, in which a 33-year-old was gravely injured. Sorin was due to appear at Bolton Magistrates’ Court on December 22 but did not appear and so an arrest warrant was issued. However a Crown Prosecution Service spokeswoman confirmed that more than three and a half months later he has yet to be traced.

A Wigan man accused of dangerous driving twice on the same day has denied one charge and admitted the other one. Jamie Smith, 31, of Atherton Road, Hindley Green, is accused of being at the wheel of a Vauxhall Vectra driven dangerously on Coronation Avenue, Spar Road and Hillside Avenue in Atherton on February 20, 2020. He denies this charge but has pleaded guilty to another one of driving dangerously on Wigan Road, Gloucester Street, Car Bank Street, Dorset Road and Spar Road on Coronation Avenue, Spar Road and Hillside Avenue on the same day. A trial date of January 25 was set for next year although a pre-trial hearing will also take place on May 27 this year.

A Wigan man who attacked a police officer has been given a community punishment. Joseph Burns, 41, of Bowland Avenue, Ashton, appeared before borough magistrates to plead guilty to assaulting a PC Stewart by beating on December 1, 2019. He was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and complete 20 days of rehabilitation activities while paying compensation to his victim, court costs and a victim services surcharge totalling £175.

A police officer and a man were assaulted, another man threatened and damage caused in a shop by a convict on the day he was released from prison. Tyrone Banks, 44, of Woodcock Drive, Platt Bridge, was sent back to jail for a total of 11 weeks after appearing before Wigan magistrates to admit to assaulting Frank Sharples and a PC West, threatening Tom Hilton and causing £60 damage to crates of lager at Bargain Booze, all on March 26. He was ordered to pay £160 compensation to the two assault victims and the shop.

A Wigan teen who twice breached a non-molestation order has been given a suspended detention period. Paul Lafrenz, 18, of Falconwood Close, Gidlow, appeared before borough justices to admit texting a named female on February 5 and contacting her on Instagram on March 19 when prohibited from doing so. He was given eight weeks’ detention but it was suspended for 12 months. Lafrenz must also complete 20 days of rehabilitation activities and pay £213 to the court and victim services.

A man has admitted assaulting a police officer. Michael Price, 22, of Belvedere Place, Worsley Mesnes, appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead guilty to attacking a PC Meadows while carrying out his duties on January 19. Price was given a community order comprising 30 days of rehabilitation activities and 120 hours of unpaid work. Compensation to the officer plus payments to the court and victim services mean he also has £195 to pay.

A 30-year-old Wigan man has walked free after a robbery charge against him was dropped. Karl Lunn, of Ingram Street, Platt Bridge, first stood before borough justices accused of mugging Lee Prescott for £50 on January 13 last year. The case was immediately sent to be heard by a Bolton Crown Court judge who has now discontinued the case and the defendant was acquitted.

A man who cultivated cannabis has landed a £419 bill. Max Bilsborough, 37, of Christopher Street, Ince, stood before Wigan justices to admit producing the class B banned drug on January 4. The payment comprised a victim service surcharge, court costs and a fine.

A young man found in possession of cocaine has been fined. Liam Simpson, 28, of Briar Road, Worsley Hall, admitted to Wigan magistrates that he had the class A controlled drug in town on March 12. When the penalty was added to court costs and victim services surcharge, Simpson had £239 to

pay.

A motorist who was caught driving high on cannabis has been banned from the road for a year. Neil Johnson, 29, of Trent Road, Norley, appeared before Wigan justices to admit smoking the class B drug before being found at the wheel of a Vauxhall on Alston Road on September 28. A fine, victim surcharge and costs mean he has £239 to pay.

A young man has denied involvement in a hit-and-run crash. Harry Dandy, 20, of Lily Lane, Bamfurlong, appeared before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to driving dangerously, fleeing the scene of an accident in Wyre Avenue, Platt Bridge on December 6 in which David Black was injured and a separate charge of assaulting Mr Black by beating. He was released on unconditional bail until he makes his first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on April 28.

A Wigan pensioner has been found guilty of molesting and trying to molest a number of different women. Thomas Aspey, of City Road in Kitt Green, has already appeared in the dock before Wigan and Leigh magistrates to face four charges of sexually touching women over the age of 16 without their consent and three of attempting to commit the same crimes. It was alleged that the attacks took place on different days during May last year while Aspey was a resident in respite premises in the Golborne area. Now, a trial involving a total of four complainants, has taken place at Bolton Nightingale Court and a jury found Aspey guilty on all seven counts. The 73-year-old has now been released on bail pending his sentencing on May 6. On learning of the result a spokesman for GMPM Leigh, Atherton and Hindley said, “A great result for the victims of these shocking crimes.”

A man who stole two TVs worth £2,000 from a Wigan distribution warehouse has been given a community punishment. Carl Reardon, 53, of Greenhey, Orrell, appeared before borough justices to admit taking the devices from ArrowXL at Martland Park on April 27 last year. He was put on a 12-week night-time electronically-tagged curfew and ordered that he pay £180 to the court and victim services.

A man who smashed a house window faces a £307 bill. Jason Stone, 32, of Richmond Drive, Leigh, appeared before Wigan magistrates to admit the criminal damage at Tracy Wilkinson’s house in Wigan on August 17 last year. As well as the compensation, court costs and victim services surcharge to pay, he was also given a two-year conditional discharge by Wigan magistrates.

A Wigan man is awaiting sentence after finally admitting he fenced a £40k stolen car. Connor Bentley, 27, of Cranberry Court, Ashton-in-Makerfield, had appeared before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to handling a stolen Range Rover Sport belonging to Matthew Bamford on August 20 but on his first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge he changed his plea to guilty and was bailed pending sentencing on May 7.

A stalker who terrorised his ex and on one occasion smashed her house window has been spared an immediate prison term. Adrian Michaels, of Chisworth Close, Leigh, admitted to his terrifying course of conduct on February 20 and 21 and causing criminal damage at Abigail Caldwell’s home. Wigan magistrates gave the 38-year-old an eight-week prison sentence but suspended it for 18 months. He must complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities and is also the subject of a restraining order which prevents him from approaching his victim, unless through the family court, or going to her home. There is also £213 to pay to the court and victim services.

A Wigan man has denied breaching a sexual harm prevention order. Simon Blakeney, 59, of Grove Place, Standish, stood before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to downloading Torch software for the purpose of Peer 2 Peer networking which he was prevented from doing. He is also accused of failing to complete annual notifications in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act. The case will be heard by a judge on

May 5.

A man has denied having drugs while committing driving offences. John Atherton, 35, of Horne Grove, Worsley Mesnes, appeared before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to possessing amphetamine and cannabis and also to driving a VW Golf without a licence and while uninsured. A July 26 trial date was set.

A man has admitted drunkenly attacking a 14-year-old boy, threatening a woman and causing criminal damage. Robert Russell, 42, of Hindsford Bridge Mews, Atherton, appeared before Wigan and Leigh justices to admit assaulting the boy by beating, sending a menacing phone message to a woman, using violence to get into a house in Tyldesley and smashing the woman’s £200 mobile phone. The bench gave him an 18-week prison sentence, but suspended it for 18 months. They said the crime warranted custody because Russell had attacked a vulnerable minor and had returned to the scene more than once while in a state of intoxication on March 1. As well as the suspended jail sentence, he was also put under supervision for 18 months, must complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities and pay a total of £300 to his victims plus £128 to victim services. Russell was also hit with a 12-month restraining order preventing contact with the victims and banning him entering the street where they

live.

A man has been cleared of attacking a woman. Matthew Atherton, 31, of Turner Street in Leigh, appeared before borough magistrates to plead not guilty to causing Anne Turnbull actual bodily harm on January 11. When returned to court for trial this month the case was dismissed.

A young man who admitted assault must complete 60 hours of unpaid work as punishment. Aaron Johnston, 22, of Freshfield Avenue, Atherton, admitted attacking Layton Holt on June 1 last year. A court bill imposed by Wigan justices comprises compensation, costs and a victim services surcharge and comes to

£495.

A man who rode an electric scooter while three times the liquor limit has been banned from the road for 25 months. Robert Rowley, 34, of Marshall Street, Leigh, was stopped by police on Sandringham Drive on December 3 and breathalysed, Wigan justices heard. He gave a reading of 104 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath (the legal limit is 35). Rowley admitted drug-driving, being uninsured and not having a licence. He can reduce his ban to 25 weeks if he takes a course for drink-drivers. Costs, a victim services surcharge and fine mean he has £300 to pay.