Wigan's court round-up

A thief who plundered £2,000 of alcohol from a Wigan Pier pleasure cruiser has been jailed.

Darren Kay had initially denied the raid on a Kittywake Canal Cruises boat on May 3, but then went missing and Wigan magistrates issued an arrest warrant.

After he was captured he returned to court to change his plea to guilty and also admit committing the crime while the subject of a suspended sentence handed down for stealing £336 worth of clothing from Marks and Spencer last November.

Sending him to prison for a total of 31 weeks, the magistrates’ chair told the 39-year-old from Scholes: “You have an appalling record of offending this was an extremely serious offence committed whilst subject to a suspended sentence of imprisonment.

“There was clearly an element of planning in this.”

Kay was also ordered to pay £120 to victim services.

Earlier this year Sean Chaplin, 38, of Brookhouse Flats, Scholes, was given a suspended jail sentence after admitting burgling the tour barge Elleswake at the Pier on May 2.

A man has denied witness intimidation.

Joseph Melling, 24, of School Avenue, Whelley, appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead not guilty to a single charge of making threatening comments to Carl Fairhurst knowing that he was to testify in legal proceedings.

He was sent for trial at Bolton Crown Court and the case will first be heard by a judge on December 16.

A motorist who was more than three times the drink-drive limit has been given a suspended prison sentence and four year road ban after justices heard it was his second such infringement.

Arturs Uzga, 36, of Scholefield Lane, Scholes, pleaded guilty to the offence after Wigan magistrates heard that a reading of 114 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml was given when he was tested in his BMW on Platt Lane on September 20. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

The chair of the bench told him: “This is your second such conviction in seven years, it was an extremely high reading and you put yourself and other road users at serious risk of injury or death for no reason whatsoever.”

The bench imposed a 12-week prison sentence but suspended it for 12 months and disqualified him from driving for 48 months.

Justices also ordered that he attend a drink-impaired drivers programme, complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities and pay £213 in costs and a victim services surcharge.

An 18-month road ban has been imposed on a motorist caught at the wheel while double the drink-drive limit.

Martin Webster, 32, of Walthew Lane, Platt Bridge, admitted to being under the influence of alcohol when driving a Vauxhall Vectra on Nicol Mere Road, Ashton, on October 26.

Wigan magistrates also fined him £320 and made him pay a further £119 in costs and victim services surcharge.

A man who drove under the influence of cocaine has received a 12-month road ban.

Shaun Houghton, 33, of Drummond Square, Worsley Hall, appeared before Wigan magistrates to having taken the class A drug before police stopped his Vauxhall Astra on Caroline Street, Wigan, on May 25.

A £239 bill comprises court costs, a victim services surcharge and fine.

A man has denied sneaking into a Wigan logistics hub and stealing two tellies worth £2,000.

Carl Reardon, 53, of Greenhey, Orrell, appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead not guilty to the burglary at the ArrowXL complex on the Martland Park industrial estate on April 27. The bench adjourned the case until March 29 when a trial will be held.

A young Wigan man has denied being armed with a knife and attempted robbery.

James Ahearne, 23, of no fixed address, appeared before borough magistrates charged with trying to steal a mobile phone from Carl Reardon and being armed with a blade at the junction of Ormskirk Road and Church Street, Pemberton, on November 8.

He pleaded not guilty to both charges but has admitted to handling a stolen wallet a week later.

He has further pleaded guilty to possession of ecstasy and cannabis, the attempted burglary of a house in Dereham Way and the theft of a multi-tool, pliers and penknife belonging to Andrew Birch on June 24.

The bench sent all the cases to be dealt with by a Bolton Crown Court judge on December 14 and he was remanded in custody until then.

A Wigan nurse who was caught on the same motorway speed cameras five times within a matter of weeks has been spared a road ban because she’s a Covid life-saver.

Despite the repeat infringements clocking up a total of 15 points on her licence, Wigan and Leigh magistrates did not disqualify Hayley McDonald because of the mitigating circumstances that she is a ventilation specialist working at Manchester Royal Infirmary.

The hearing was told that in episodes resembling the film Groundhog Day, the 35-year-old’s Vauxhall Antara was flashed again and again for breaking the temporary 50mph limit between junctions 12 and 11 of the westbound carriageway of the M62.

Justices were told that each time the average speed cameras clocked her for travelling at between 57 and 59mph on lanes which were undergoing smart motorway work.

The first was on September 26 then October 3, October 17, October 20 and November 11.

Each time it was the same vehicle, heading in the same direction, on the same carriageway and always breaking the limit by almost the same margin.

McDonald, of Wennington Road, Highfield, had further been charged with three times failing to notify the police of who was at the wheel of the vehicle each time it broke the speed limit but these charges were withdrawn by the prosecution.

The bench explained why it was not banning McDonald despite awarding three more points than the 12 maximum it usually takes to see a motorist disqualified.

The chair said: “The defendant is a key NHS worker as a nurse at Manchester Hospital she would be caused exceptional hardship if disqualified as she needs to be able to drive to work.

“Public transport would be costly and not viable as she in on call at short notice and often works until midnight.

“If disqualified she would be caused exceptional hardship which would impact on family finances.

“Her work involves a specialism in ventilation which may impact on patients.”

As well as imposing three points for each of the five offences, she was also fined £100 for each. And a victim services surcharge and court costs brought the final bill to £635.

A Wigan woman has been accused of being a neighbour from hell.

Edna Frost, 62, of Hassness Close, Hawkley Hall, appeared before borough magistrates accused of banging on walls and playing loud music four times in six days in March this year despite having already been served with a noise abatement order.

She is thus charged with four breaches of the 1990 Environmental Protection Act.

Frost has yet to plead and the case was deemed not to fall under the “urgent work” category and so was adjourned until February 16, although the defendant will not be required to attend on that day.

A Wigan bar owner is being prosecuted for putting up an illuminated sign without council permission.

Michael Pagett, who runs Steins Party Keller on King Street is alleged to have displayed a circular illuminated advertisement above the premises’ front door bearing the words “Partyhaus Sports Arcade” along with a number of animated symbols on or around December 6 last year.

The court heard that not to gain local authority permission for such signage would put someone in contravention of the Town and Planning Act of 2007.

Pagett has yet to plead and the case was adjourned until February 16.

A man has admitted to driving dangerously while under the influence of alcohol.

Jake Needle, 28, of Wyre Avenue, Platt Bridge, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to appalling motoring in a Renault Laguna on Croft Lane, Lowton on October 2 and also to having 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

The bench ordered that he be sent to Bolton Crown Court for sentencing on December 9.

A 32-year-old Wigan man has been found guilty of assault.

Steven Critchley, from Duke Street, Swinley, had denied causing David Oliver actual bodily harm on May 8 when he appeared before Wigan magistrates but the bench convicted him after a trial. He will be sentenced by a Bolton Crown Court judge on December 21 and is on unconditional bail until then.

A man has admitted smashing a Wigan department store’s windows, stealing two vacuum cleaners and having a knife at a cafe.

Clifford Faulkner, 36, of Marsh Green, Marsh Green, appeared before borough magistrates to admit to causing £3,350 damage to the frontage of Wilko on Standishgate, taking the two domestic appliances and having a blade at Caffe Nero.

He was remanded in custody until sentencing at the same court on December 14.

A man has been convicted in his absence of begging in Wigan town centre.

Roy Smalley, 51, of Heath Street, Golborne, had been charged with gathering alms in Standishgate in contravention of the 1824 Vagrancy Act and had been released on conditional bail.

But when he failed to attend the following hearing a trial was held in his absence and he was found guilty.

Smalley was fined and must also pay court costs and a victim services surcharge which leaves him with a £177 bill.

A man will be sentenced next month after admitting he stole a £600 mobile phone.

Lee Causey, 50, of Victoria Street, Newtown, appeared before borough magistrates to plead guilty to the theft from Leah Singleton on August 30.

He was released on bail, conditional that he does not enter Wigan’s Asda store, until he learns his fate on December 3.

A borough schoolgirl has been given a youth rehabilitation order after admitting assault and criminal damage then being convicted of issuing racially motivated threats.

The 15-year-old Romanian national, who cannot be named, was found guilty after a trial at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court of the race hate incident in Leigh on May 3, although she admitted to an assault by beating and causing £30 damage to a pillow in a cell at Wigan Police Station three days later.

She must participate in indirect reparation for four days and there are £200 court costs and a £22 victim surcharge to pay.

A young man who attacked a police officer who was arresting him for tampering with a vehicle has been given a community sentence.

Andrew Hilton, 23, of no fixed address, stood before Wigan magistrates to assaulting emergency worker PC Powell by beating and interfering with a Nissan Note with the intention of stealing it, both on September 15.

He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and take part in 10 days of rehabilitation activities.

Hilton must also pay £180 in court costs and a victim services surcharge.

A Wigan prison inmate has admitted attacking a prison officer.

Lynden Hodgkinson, 20, currently a prisoner at HMP Hindley, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to assaulting emergency worker Matthew Pengelly by beating on March 13.

He was sent to a young offenders’ institution for eight weeks and ordered to pay his victim £120 in compensation.

The chair of the magistrates said: “This was an unprovoked attack against an officer carrying out his public duties. You have numerous previous convictions for violence including violence against emergency workers.”

A young man who was caught driving a car while banned and uninsured has been given a community sentence.

Jack Lally, 22, of Brockstedes Avenue, Ashton, admitted being at the wheel of a Volkswagen Golf on St Paul’s Avenue, Goose Green, on July 3 while disqualified.

Wigan magistrates ordered that he be under electronically tagged curfew until December 29, they put eight points on his licence and made him pay £180 in costs and a victim surcharge.

A man has been accused of threatening Wigan prison officers and menacing one person in order to get special privileges as an inmate.

Sean Jones, 24, of no fixed address, is further charged of illegally possessing a mobile phone while an inmate in Hindley Jail.

Wigan magistrates heard that on February 14 Jones threatened that a property belonging to Danielle Charnley would be damaged intending that they would fear that the threat would be carried out.

It is also alleged that with a view to gain for himself or another, with intent to cause loss to another, he made an unwarranted demand of special treatment as a prisoner from Gary Hyslop with menaces on November 11 last year.

Jones has yet to plead and he was remanded in custody pending a first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on December 21.

A judge will sentence a Wigan man who broke into the garage of a home and stole golf clubs and power tools.

Paul Seddon, 28, of Scot Lane, Aspull, appeared before borough magistrates to admit to the October 19 burglary in Newton Close, Swinley, in which £400 of property was stolen. The hearing was told that Seddon committed the crime while the subject of a suspended prison sentence for another offence.

He was remanded in custody pending his sentencing hearing at Bolton Crown Court on December 21.