Wigan court round-up

A man has admitted to a series of sex crimes with a 13-year-old girl. Matthew Phair, 38, of Bolton Road, Ashton, faced five charges, including inciting a girl to perform lewd acts, showing her indecent images and trying to meet with her for sexual purposes. He pleaded guilty on his first appearance at Bolton Crown Court. A judge adjourned the case pending sentence on June 1.

A 12-month road ban has been imposed on a Wigan 25-year-old caught at the wheel under the influence of cannabis. Ryan Stephen, of Isabella Square, Scholes, admitted before borough magistrates that he had taken the class B drug when stopped by police on Caunce Road on October 6. A payment to victim services, court costs and fine mean he also has to foot a £239 bill.

A Wigan 13-year-old has been given a conditional discharge by Wigan Youth Court for riding a quad bike in the street. The schoolboy pleaded guilty to driving the unlicensed and unregistered vehicle on an Ince road on March 3. As well as the discharge he must pay £107 in costs and a victim services surcharge.

Two young Wigan men have denied their involvement in a savage attack. Liam Wilson, 19, of Dovedale Road, Ashton, and 21-year-old Reece Hargreaves of Masefield Drive, Worsley Mesnes, are charged with maliciously wounding two men with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm on March 14 last year. Wilson faces further charges of actual bodily harm and assault by beating. A trial date of September 14 was set by a Bolton Crown Court judge although the case will be mentioned again on May 20.

A teenager who admitted to driving dangerously through the streets of Wigan has been given a year-long driving ban and suspended jail sentence. Charlie Brogan, 19, of Glebe End Street, had also pleaded guilty to driving the Vauxhall Corsa on Mesnes Road, Swinley Lane and Swinley Road last September 25 when uninsured and without a licence when he recently appeared before Wigan justices. At a Bolton Crown Court sentencing hearing, a judge gave him a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, the 12-month road disqualification and ordered him to complete 30 days’ rehabilitation activities.

A Wigan schoolboy of 15 has denied a series of motoring offences involving a motorbike. The youngster, who cannot be named, appeared at Wigan Youth Court accused of handling a Lexmoto LXR which had been taken from its rightful owner, riding it without a licence or insurance and refusing to give a specimen of blood to police when suspected of drink or drug-driving. The offences are alleged to have been committed in Hind Road, Marsh Green, on March 9. The case was adjourned until September 2 for a trial and he was released on bail until then.

A Wigan teen who admitted peddling cocaine has been spared an immediate stretch in jail. Jake Wilkinson, 19, of Tudor Grove, Winstanley, was sentenced by a Bolton judge after pleading guilty at Wigan Magistrates Court to possessing the drug with intent to supply it on January 4 last year. He received an 18-month prison term but it was suspended for two years. The judge ordered that he complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities, that he forfeit drugs and related paraphernalia for destruction, forfeit cash proceeds of his crimes and that he pay £425 in court costs.

A man has admitted stealing a wallet then using the bank cards in it to make purchases for himself. Marc Moore, 35, of Lamberhead Road, Pemberton, was charged with taking the wallet from Steven Meehan on January 18 then buying goods totalling £46.93 soon after. Wigan magistrates adjourned the case for sentence on May 19 until which time he is on conditional bail.

A motorist who took to the road just a month after justices had banned him for driving offences has been given another suspended prison sentence. In March Wigan magistrates further disqualified James Ward and gave him a suspended jail term after he admitted driving his Jaguar while banned and under the influence of alcohol. Now the 41-year-old of Nottingham Place, Whelley, has been back before the bench to being at the wheel of a Ford Focus in Durham Street, Whelley, while still banned and without insurance. Justices imposed a new 16-week custodial sentence but suspended it for two years. He was also disqualified for another 18 months and must complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities. There is also £213 to pay to victim services and the court.

A young man has been accused of a double assault. Jordan Beach, 22, of Swan Lane, Hindley Green, is charged with causing Ian Hyland and Matthew Jones actual bodily harm while also threatening violence that same day on August 11, 2019. The case was adjourned until May 4 and Beach was released on unconditional bail.

A restraining order and a £319 court bill faces a man who admits an attack. Lee Matthews, 29, of Moss Lane, Platt Bridge, stood before Wigan justices to plead guilty to assaulting Tyler Curtis by beating on October 23. The order preventing contact with his victim lasts until April 19 next year and his bill comprises a fine, costs and a payment to victim services.

A man will be sentenced for a series of attacks this month. Kevin Nelson, 35, of Hemfield Close, Ince, appeared before Wigan magistrates to admit assaulting Amy Coutes and Pamela Kerr by beating, causing Peter Kerr actual bodily harm and causing damage to Ms Coutes’s car, all on June 3, 2019 and also damaging Clare Wright’s gate on August 24 last year. He will learn his fate on May 25 at the same court before which he is released on unconditional bail while pre-sentence reports are prepared.

One of Wigan’s most prolific criminals is back behind bars yet again after committing new crimes the day after he was released from prison for his previous offences. Borough magistrates were told that 50-year-old Arthur McLean had not been out of jail for 24 hours when he was caught shoplifting in Boots in the Grand Arcade on April 19. This theft of various items worth £144 in fact meant he had committed three offences - theft, breaching a court order banning him from the shopping precinct and breaching the terms of a conditional discharge. The bench told McLean that it was sending him back to custody for a total of 18 weeks because he had shown a “flagrant disregard” for court orders, his extensive criminal record and the fact the crimes had been committed so soon after prison release. McLean was also ordered to pay £128 to victim services.

A thief who stole a woman’s purse in a Wigan takeaway has been given a community order. Stuart Trickett, 45, of Standishgate, Wigan, appeared before Wigan magistrates to admit snatching the item containing £20 cash plus bank cards from the Seven Seas Fish and Chip Shop, Wigan Lane, on April 18. The bench ordered him to undergo an eight-week, electronically-tagged curfew confining him to his home between the hours of 7pm and 7am, he must have treatment for drug dependency and pay £155 in court costs, a victim services surcharge and compensation to his victim.

A fresh trial date has been set for a man who denies a racially aggravated attack on a borough flat. Andrew Charlson, 55, of Bickershaw Lane, Bickershaw, had previously appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead not guilty to two charges of causing damage to the ceiling of a home belonging to Serco Homes last December 28, one claiming there was a racist element to the offence and an alternative one suggesting there was not. He was due be tried at the same court on April 20, but the hearing has now been delayed until July 29. Meanwhile Charlson is bailed on condition that he does not approach Adebukola Adeleye.

Three men have been accused of involvement in a vicious assault. Gareth Croston, 40, of Patricroft Road, Ince, 37-year-old Ryan Halliwell, of Millers Lane, Platt Bridge, and Andrew Maloney, 43, of Quarry Place, Scholes, appeared before Wigan magistrates accused of maliciously wounding Scott Dempsey on April 11 with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm - the most serious form of assault after attempted murder. They were remanded in custody and, because of the seriousness of the accusations, the bench immediately sent the case to Bolton Crown Court where the suspects will appear before a judge for the first time on May 17. They have yet to enter pleas.

Sentencing of a man who admits smashing down a front door and stealing £20,000 has been delayed. Steven Wood, 50, of Atherton Road, Hindley Green, appeared before Wigan justices recently to admit the crimes against Joan Wood on February 17 and to being armed with a blade in public five days later. He was bailed to appear at Bolton Crown Court for sentence but the hearing was told he was disputing some of the details of what happened which could have a bearing on the punishment and so now a “trial of issue” will held on May 11 before he learns his fate.

A man has pleaded guilty to four times breaching a restraining order by going to his ex’s home. Daniel Cunniffe, 31, of Wharncliffe Street, Hindley, made the admissions to Wigan magistrates who gave him a community punishment which includes a Building Better Relationships element and also issued a fine. That penalty added to court costs and a victim services surcharge means he has £380 to pay.

A man has been accused of smuggling drugs into Wigan’s jail. Jordan Gavin appeared before borough justices charged with sneaking cocaine, cannabis and two types of steroids - testosterone and Stanozolol - into Hindley Prison between November 9 and 16, 2018. The 20-year-old from Baxendale Street, Astley Bridge, Bolton, is also accused of shipping phones, sim cards and chargers into the institution at the same time. A further charge of tobacco smuggling was dropped. Gavin was released on unconditional bail until he appears before a Bolton Crown Court judge on May 19.

Five people - including a married couple - have been accused of threatening unlawful violence. Michael and Wendy Porter, 42 and 34 respectively of Broom Road, Worsley Hall, stood before Wigan magistrates charged with issuing threats that could cause someone to fear for their safety on June 23. Another man - 40-year-old Michael Bridge, of Bulteel Street, Pemberton - faces the same charge. He and the couple were released on unconditional bail pending a first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on May 19. Another two people - Martin Wade and Stacey Waugh, who are 28 and 43 respectively and also live on Broom Road - are charged with issuing threats on the same day but failed to attend court and so arrest warrants were issued by the bench.

Two men have admitted to attempted burglary. Michael Shaw, 48, of Rathen Avenue, Ince, and Daniel Verey, 29, of Hardybutts, Scholes, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to illegally gaining entry into a property on Baclaw Close, Scholes, with intent to steal on April 5. The bench adjourned the case until May 20 for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

A Wigan man has denied assaulting another and wrecking his bank cards. Dale Dewitt, 32, of Argyle Street, Hindley, appeared before borough justices to plead not guilty to causing Simon McDemott actual bodily harm plus criminal damage in Bolton on November 24, 2019. He was sent for trial at Bolton Crown Court on May 19.

A man has admitted hoarding indecent images of children. David Murphy, 58, of Short Street in Wigan, had appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge to plead not guilty to possessing 44 images that fall into the gravest category of abuse (A), 68 category B and 280 category C and a trial date had been set for next January. But at a pre-trial preparation hearing, the defence announced that he was changing his plea and so a sentencing date has now been set for June 3.

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