Wigan's week in court

A Wigan man has admitted to making and distributing indecent images of children and possessing film of human intercourse with a horse. Darren Burns, 49, of Keats Avenue, Worsley Mesnes, stood before borough justices to face seven charges in all, including making 23 pictures which fall into the gravest category of seriousness (A) as well as two category B images and 26 category C. Burns is separately charged with distributing nine category A images, one B category picture and two category C. And he is further charged with possessing extreme pornographic images of intercourse with a horse. All the offences are alleged to have happened between July 20, 2018 and December 23, 2019. The bench released him on bail pending his sentencing by a Bolton Crown Court judge on July 14.

A man has been put behind bars after admitting harassing a Wigan woman and assaulting her. Andrew Mullins was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison when he appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court. Mullins, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assaulting Zoe Tammadge and harassment of her. He also admitted sending a malicious communication to Mrs Tammadge’s sister-in-law. Mullins, 37, had a charge of criminal damage against him withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as this was covered by the assault. The incidents took place on June 3 this year. In addition to his prison sentence Mullins was made the subject of a two-year restraining order. This forbids him from contacting Mrs Tammadge either directly or indirectly or from going near an address on Kitt Green Road in Marsh Green. Mullins was also required to pay a victim surcharge of £128. Mrs Tammadge told the Wigan Observer after the hearing that she did not think the sentence imposed had been strong enough.

A Wigan jail inmate attacked four prison officers during a disturbance, borough magistrates heard. Sam Worthington, 28, and now of HMP Lancaster Farms, pleaded guilty to the assaults by beating of officers Tom Smith, Nicola Barnes, Aaron Donovan and Alison Mitchell at Hindley Prison on September 4 last year. The bench was told that it was fortunate that the victims suffered only minor injuries. Worthington was given 16 months imprisonment for the attacks although the sentence was suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to pay costs, a victim surcharge and compensation to his victims totalling £513.

A Wigan teen who admitted driving dangerously a van that wasn’t his has been jailed. They were two of seven criminal charges to which 18-year-old Jordan O’Reilly pleaded guilty when he appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge, further ones including that he was at the wheel of a high-performance car - again not his - while banned from the road. O’Reilly, of Croal Avenue, Platt Bridge, admitted that he had taken a Ford Transit without the owner’s consent on December 20 and that it had been damaged in an accident before it was recovered. He had driven it dangerously and had neither a licence nor insurance cover. He also pleaded guilty to taking an Alfa Romeo without its owner’s permission which he then drove while banned and on false plates on Walthew Lane on March 29. O’Reilly was sentenced to a total of 14 months behind bars, was banned from driving for three years and was made the subject of a criminal behaviour order for the same period.

A prolific offender who stole from shops from which he was barred and assaulted a woman has been given a chance to mend his ways instead of being immediately locked up. Wigan magistrates heard that in late May and early June Dennis Hilton, 32, of Thorburn Road, Norley, repeatedly entered the Right Choice convenience store in Norley in breach of a criminal behaviour order and stole items including several bottles of wine. He also breached the order by entering Pemberton’s Gee Tee’s store in February and stealing washing powder. On the same day he assaulted Lisa Topping by beating. Admitting to a total of nine offences, Hilton was given a total of 16 weeks in custody but the bench said that because there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation at this stage,” the sentence would be suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to undergo a drug dependency programme, complete 20 hours of rehabilitation activities and pay £160 in compensation and

costs.

A motorist who drove a car while under the influence of cocaine and cannabis has been banned from the road for two years. Daniel Clossick, 35, of Derby House, Scholes, stood before Wigan justices to admit having taken the banned substances and also to not being insured when he was at the wheel of a Vauxhall Astra on Caunce Road, Scholes, on November 24. He must complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities and pay £300 comprising a fine, court costs and victim services surcharge.

Four men accused of stealing lead from the roof of Ashton-in-Makerfield’s library have all denied the crime. Callum Holgate, 19, of Falkirk Grove, Norley, Lee O’Shea, 33, of Petticoat Lane, Ince, Jordan Brown, 19, of Saddleback Road, Norley, and 22-year-old Sean Roberts, of Beverley Road, Marsh Green, appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge to plead not guilty to stripping the metal from the public building for scrap on March 20, 2020. They were bailed until a trial due to take place on May 25 next year.

A young Wigan man facing two child sex crime charges has appeared before a crown court judge. Harry Brookfield, 25, of Orchard Street, Wigan, is accused of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence and inciting a girl aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity. The case was adjourned for a pre-trial hearing on October 8 and a trial date of April 11, 2022 was also set.

A serial thief has been given a community punishment after another crime lapse. Malcolm Ellison was the subject of a conditional discharge for five snatch thefts from shops when he couldn’t resist stealing bottles of whisky, detergent and fabric softener worth £89 from the Food Warehouse in Wigan on March 25, borough magistrates heard. The 55-year-old of Kimberley Place, Ashton, admitted to the latest theft and was ordered to undergo drug treatment and complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities. He also has £230 to pay in court costs, a victim services surcharge and fine.

A man has been accused of subjecting a woman to an horrific attack. Kevin MacDonald, 38, is charged with maliciously and intentionally causing Christine Mulroney grievous bodily harm in Atherton on August 9 last year. Because of the seriousness of the case Wigan magistrates sent MacDonald, currently resident at HMP Strangeways, to Bolton Crown Court where he will make a first appearance on July 14.

A banned motorist was found at the wheel when over the drink-drive limit, Wigan justices heard. Stephen Gallagher, 36, of Linney Square, Scholes, pleaded guilty to being just over double the legal limit, having no insurance and breaching a disqualification when police stopped a Ford Fiesta on Scholes Precinct on June 9. Sentencing was delayed until July for the preparation of reports and Gallagher was released on bail until then.

A Wigan woman has admitted dangerous driving while under the influence of alcohol. Amanda McVinnie, 30, of Rectory Lane, Standish, appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge to face accusations of driving a Dacia Logan dangerously on Wessex Close, also in Standish, and later giving a reading of 50 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the legal limit is 35. She faced a further charge of smashing the windscreen of a Vauxhall Mariva belonging to Sarah Hynes on the same day, April 15, but denied this and the judge ruled that a trial would not be held on the matter. The cost of the damage was said to be £250. Sentencing for the motoring offences will take place on July 15.

A Wigan motorist caught at the wheel when high on drugs has been banned from the road for four years. Zacharia Mortimer had initially denied having taken cocaine and cannabis before driving a BMW on Thicketford Road, Bolton, on February 22 last year. But last month the 40-year-old of Portland Street, Wigan, changed his pleas and now Wigan and Leigh magistrates have imposed the disqualification and a hefty £696 bill comprising a fine (£500), costs and a victim services surcharge.

A teenager has denied threatening and violent behaviour while armed with a blade. Hedi Shariyatzada, 19, of no fixed address, appeared before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to threatening unlawful violence and wielding a kitchen knife in Laburnum Street, Ashton, on June 13. The bench sent the case to Bolton Crown Court and he was released on conditional bail until his first appearance before a judge on July 20.

A young motorist without insurance or a licence crashed into a lamppost and then drove off, Wigan justices heard. Michael Evans, 26, of Irwell Place, Pemberton, appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead guilty to careless, driving, leaving the scene of an accident and the two vehicle document offences relating to a collision between a Vauxhall Astra and the lamp standard on Montrose Avenue, Worsley Hall, last August 9. He had initially denied driving without due care and attention but then changed his plea to guilty. However Evans continued to plead not guilty to failing to report an accident and this charge was dismissed by the bench when no evidence was offered. The defendant was banned from driving for six months and ordered to pay a fine, costs and victim services surcharge totalling £540.

Sentencing of a Wigan teenager who admitted trying to contact a 14-year-old schoolgirl for sexual purposes has been delayed. Connor Lammiman, of Lower Longshoot, Scholes, had previously appeared in the dock at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court to plead guilty to communicating with a girl whom he knew to be under 16 in order to set up an encounter that would have involved a crime under the Sex Offences Act. The 18-year-old also admitted that this communication on May 17 put him in breach of a sexual risk order imposed on him by justices in January this year. The case was sent to Bolton Crown Court for sentencing, but a judge has ruled that that will now not take place until July 23.

A Wigan woman has denied issuing racist threats. Caroline Hayes, 41, of Almond Grove, Worsley Hall, is charged with racially menacing Sylwia Pilawksa at least twice between October 2019 and August 2020. She is further charged with threatening Ann Sharpe on May 11 and disorderly and threatening behaviour the following day. Hayes was released on conditional bail until her trial on October 4.

A Wigan man who denied committing a string of sex crimes against one schoolgirl over a four-year period will face a Crown Court trial next year. It is alleged that Anthony Simpkin, 36, of HMP Forest Bank, molested the youngster from the ages of 14 to 17 on seven occasions and that the sexual touching was without consent. He faces a further charge of indecent exposure. The offences are alleged to have taken place between November 2016 and February 2020. Making his first appearance before a Bolton judge, the case was adjourned for trial on January 10.

A Wigan man who admitted being armed with two lock knives, a wallet knife and a bottle has been spared an immediate jail term. A Bolton Crown Court judge heard that 27-year-old Anthony Sharrock, of Gantley Avenue, Billinge, had the weapons when police stopped him on Winstanley Road on May 18. He also admitted assaulting a police officer on the same occasion and refusing to give a breath specimen the next day when suspected of drink-driving. The judge sentenced him to 30 months in prison but suspended the term for two years. He must also attend 12 months of alcohol rehabilitation and complete 20 rehab activity days.

Two men have been accused of assault and one of them of witness intimidation. Cameron Johnston, 26, of Kirkless Street, Wigan and Jordan Felton, 27, of Dorothy Grove, Leigh, appeared before borough magistrates charged with attacking Anthony Robinson on May 1. Johnston has admitted to the attack and another on Lauren Robinson on the same day, but denies being armed with a hammer. Felton admits smashing a window belonging to Mr Robinson but has pleaded not guilty to assaulting him, having an offensive weapon in public and three days later offering to pay for window repairs if the victim were to withdraw a statement in court proceedings, thus attempting to pervert the course of justice. The pair were remanded on conditional bail until a trial at the same court on October 5.

A man who wielded a knife, smashed down a front door and stole £20k has been sentenced to 28 months in prison. 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 going to dispute details against him but then accepted them and stood before a Bolton judge for sentence where he received the custodial term. He must also pay a £190 victim services surcharge.

A woman who repeatedly breached a family court order has been given a suspended prison sentence. Wigan magistrates heard that despite being the subject of a non-molestation order preventing her from contacting her mother, Alison Gibson went to her address in Beech Hill on three occasions in March and May. The 28-year-old of Crawford Close, Aspull, admitted to the three breaches and also one of failing to surrender to the court on June 10. She was given a 36-week custodial sentence but it was suspended for 12 months. Gibson must also complete 35 days of rehabilitation activities and pay £213 towards court costs and victim services.

A former Hindley Prison inmate has denied possessing a mobile phone and makeshift knife while locked up there. Kash Parkinson, 21, now of HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, appeared before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to having the communication device and adapted blade in contravention of the Prisons Act. He was bailed until a first appearance before a Bolton judge on July 14.

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