A mum is facing a four-figure court bill for failing to ensure her children were going to school regularly. Stacy Turton was proved guilty in her absence by Wigan magistrates of not preventing her two youngsters truancy from Up Holland High School between June and November last year. Turton, of Beechtrees in the Digmoor area of Skelmersdale, was hit with two fines and ordered to pay a victim services surcharge, the total coming to £1,053.
A Wigan man who admitted dangerously driving under the influence of cocaine has been jailed for nine months. Kien Leigh, 22, of Ruabon Crescent, Hindley Green, had stood before Wigan justices to plead guilty to driving dangerously in Bolton and Wigan on February 7 and while having taken the illegal drug. Sent to a Bolton Crown Court judge, he was given the custodial term and also banned from the road for three years and 14 weeks.
A Wigan man who denies committing two rapes and cocaine dealing has seen his trial delayed by another seven months. Zak Mortimer, 40, of Portland Street, Pemberton, made his first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge over the charges in February 2021 and entered three not guilty pleas. A date a year ahead was set for the start of his trial. But at the latest hearing, it has now been put back to September 19. He is on bail until then.
Wigan and Leigh court
A man who launched an “unprovoked attack” on a neighbour and police officer has been sent back to prison. Keiron Wood, 33, of Livingstone Street, Ashton, stood before Wigan justices to admit the assault by beating of Paul Stankus and PC Gordon on February 19, and also to smashing a wing mirror belonging to Julian Pollard on the same occasion. The court heard that these offences put him in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for attacking two police officers and causing criminal damage to a door last July. The bench said the offences were aggravated by the fact that he only been released from custody a few days earlier when he launched the fresh attacks. Wood was given a four-month custodial term and was ordered to pay compensation, a victim services surcharge and court costs totalling £413.
The trial of a Wigan 61-year-old who denied historical sex offences against three schoolgirls, some dating back more than 40 years, has been delayed until the autumn. Glen Stone, of Duncan Place, Worsley Hall, has already appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge to plead not guilty to four counts of indecently assaulting girls under the age of 14 between October 1978 and July 1988. Two of the charges both allege that the named females were attacked no fewer than 10 times each. The other two charges related to alleged single assaults. A trial of five to seven days in length was to have begun in late February but it has now been adjourned until November 7. Stone remains on unconditional bail until then.
A motorist has finally admitted to being almost four times over the drink-drive limit. Wigan justices heard that William Fury gave a reading of 132 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml breath when stopped by police on Scot Lane, Wigan, in a Ford Transit van on October 12. He had initially denied this but changed his plea to guilty when two other charges - another of drink-driving a few weeks later and also possession of a lock knife - which he had continued to deny, were discontinued. The 35-year-old of Ribble Drive, Pemberton, was given a six-month ban from the road, was ordered to complete an alcohol treatment programme and must complete 32 days of rehabilitation activities. Fury must also pay a fine, victim services surcharge and court costs totalling £300.
A Wigan serial thief who repeatedly targeted two of Britain’s biggest high street names has avoided an immediate spell in jail. Jamie Wood, 34, of Holme Court, Swinley, appeared before borough justices to plead guilty to 10 shoplifter offences - four against Tesco and six against Next, all of them in Leigh between November last year and February this. Items taken included cosmetics, large amounts of clothing plus alcoholic spirits. The hearing was told that the value of all the items taken amounted to around £2,500. The chairman of the bench told Wood, “You have an appalling record for shoplifting and non-custodial measures have been tried in the past but have failed.”And so he was given a total of 20 weeks in prison, although the sentence was suspended for 18 months. Wood must also pay £500 in compensation to the two retailers.
A young Wigan man who had been accused of possessing indecent images of children has walked free after the case against him collapsed. Callum Ashton, 20, of City Road, Kitt Green, has denied the charge against him at Preston’s Sessions House Court in January last year and a trial date for February 23 had been set. But before that date was reached, the prosection offered no evidence and Mr Ashton was told he was free to go.
A Wigan motorist has admitted to assault, criminal damage and dangerous driving while drunk. Michael Sparkes, 36, of Neville Street, Platt Bridge, appeared before borough justices to plead guilty to assaulting Jacqueline Kay by beating, causing £1,000 of damage to a gate belonging to her, dangerously driving an Audi Q7 on Repton Avenue and giving a reading that was double the drink-drive limit - 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The bench heard that all the offences took place on February 13. The case was adjourned for the preparation of reports.
A woman has admitted to attacking two Wigan police officers. Paige Lawson, 25, of Whelley, Whelley, stood before borough justices to plead guilty to assaulting PCs Grimshaw and Smith by beating on June 12 last year. She was given a community order requiring her to complete 12 days of rehabilitation activities and 125 hours of unpaid work. She must also pay £180 to victim services and the court.
A motorist is accused of driving when almost three times over the legal alcohol limit. Wojciech Eichelberger, 47, of Walthew Lane, Platt Bridge, is further accused of driving a BMW 525D without insurance or a licence on Davies Street on January 30. No pleas have been entered and the case was adjourned until March 3 when a Polish interpreter will also attend.
A man has been charged with a serious assault and also attacking a police officer. Adam Bradburn, 29, of Christopher Street, Ince, stood before Wigan justices accused of causing George Jones grievous bodily harm and assaulting PC Farrelly by beating on February 20. He has not yet entered a plea and he was released on bail pending a first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on March 30.
A trial date has been set for a Wigan man accused of handling a stolen car. Stuart Martin, 46, of Victoria Road, Platt Bridge, appeared before Wigan justices facing charges that on February 5 he was found on Prestt Grove, Worsley Mesnes at the wheel of a £2,500 Peugeot 308 which had been stolen from Kenneth Baker and that he had neither insurance nor a licence to be driving it. He admitted to the document offences also to driving an Audi A4 on Constantia Road, on November 19 without a licence or insurance. He was released on conditional bail until March 25 when he appears before a Bolton Crown Court judge on the handling matter. He will be sentenced for the other offences at the conclusion of the trial.
A young Wigan man has admitted to being a hit-and-run driver. Ben Halliwell, 21, of Trent Road, Worsley Hall, stood before Wigan magistrates to plead guilty to being at the wheel of a black Ford Fiesta which crashed into two other vehicles on Ormskirk Road on January 15 and then drove off. He also admitted to driving without due care and attention and driving without insurance. He had eight penalty points put on his licence and must pay a fine, court costs and a victim services surcharge totalling £525.
A man has been accused of vandalising an advertising hoarding at Wigan North Western railway station. Joseph Melling, 25, of Orrell Road, Orrell, is alleged to have committed the offence on August 21. He has yet to enter a plea and the case was adjourned until March 11.
A 41-year-old Wigan man is facing charges concerning the possession of indecent images of children and animals. Christopher Dickinson, of Chelthenham Avenue, Ince, stood before borough magistrates accused of having 188 pictures which fall into the most serious catgeory of abuse - A. There are further charges of possessing 123 category B images, 105 category C, and one prohibited picture of a child, plus 22 “extreme porn” images of intercourse between humans and animals. Because of the seriousness of the charges, the case was immediately sent to Bolton Crown Court where Dickinson will make his first appearance before a judge on March 30. Yet to enter pleas, Dickinson is on unconditional bail until then.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Wigan takeaway owner wanted for failing to make improvements to his food outlet. Wen Lin, 33, of Glebe Street, Blackburn and boss of the Rice Bowl on Ormskirk Road, Newtown, is charged with not complying with an improvement order issued under the Health and Safety at Work Act which required remedial work to be carried out at the premises. The business itself faces an identical charge of failing to act on the improvement notice with regard to external electrical power and lighting circuits.
A fine has been issued to a man who admitted to issuing threats and criminal damage. Anthony Mullen, 30, of Lilac Gardens, Ince, appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead guilty to menacing Philip Dawson and damaging his victim’s Vauxhall Vectra. The fine, court costs and payment to victim services mean Mullen has £452 to fork out.
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