Wigan's Week in court

A man and woman been accused of stealing a bag and its contents then fraudulently drawing hundreds of pounds out from a hole in the wall with the victim’s bank card. Mark Mayren, 34, and Alysha Clayton, 31, both of Prestt Grove, Worsley Mesnes, appeared before justices charged with burgling a house in Reedsmere Close to snatch the possessions worth £235 then drawing another £520 from a cash point on the same day, June 6. Mayren is further charged with headbutting, scratching and spitting at two police officers - PCs Clark and Carter - 10 days later and also escaping from custody. They were remanded in custody until they appear before a Bolton judge on July 22.

A two-year motoring ban has been imposed on a driver caught when he was more than two and a half times the legal alcohol limit. Eric Hyatt gave a reading of 95 microgrammes in 100ml of breath when police stopped an Audi A4 on Morton Street on May 19, magistrates heard. The lawful limit is 35 microgrammes. On top of the disqualification the 45-year-old of Boyswell House, Scholes, must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and foot a £180 court and victim surcharge bill. Hyatt was told he can reduce his ban to 24 weeks if he completes a state-sanctioned course for drink-drivers.

A cocaine addict seen in the street armed with a machete has been spared an immediate spell in jail. Thomas Jackson, 27, of Church Street, Golborne, appeared before Wigan justices to admit having the offensive weapon in a public place - namely Church Street - on May 7. He was given a 16-week prison sentence which was suspended for 12 months. Jackson, who was said to be responding well to treatment for his addiction, was ordered to complete another six months of drug rehab and also complete 35 days of rehabilitation activities. He must also pay £213 to victim services and the court.

A Wigan man has admitted failing to protect a child from risk after he suffered serious harm. James McManus, 25, of Warrington Road, Ince, had denied the charge which relates to a boy who cannot be named when he appeared before Wigan magistrates. But when a trial was due to begin at Bolton Crown Court he changed their pleas. However, they do dispute some of the details of the charges against them and so a “trial of issue” is to be held on July 23 at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester. The offences were alleged to have taken place in October and November 2018. A woman charged with the same offence has been acquitted.

A young woman who admitted attacking a police officer has now confessed to assaulting a paramedic too. Michelle Rogerson, 22, previously of Grizedale Drive, Ince, now of Tamar Grove in Leigh, had previously appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to assaulting a PC Dougill on October 18 last year, but denied an assault on ambulance worker Susan Bullock on the same occasion. A trial was set, but before it could begin Rogerson changed her plea to guilty. The case was adjourned until July 6 for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

A Wigan man has agreed to be bound over to the sum of £200 after admitting a breach of the peace. Anthony Ward, 46, of Kendal Road, Ince, appeared before borough justices to admit disorderly behaviour on June 17.

A motorist has been convicted of driving under the influence of cannabis. Ben Johnson, 36, of Frog Lane, Gidlow, had appeared before Wigan justices to deny having taken the illegal class B drug, but was convicted after a trial. He was banned from driving for 12 months and was ordered to pay a fine, costs and victim services surcharge totalling £464.

A man has appeared in court to deny stealing garden furniture and lights. Andrew Gaskell, 38, of no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to snatching the items, valued at £211, from Daniel Prescott on June 19 and also to failing to keep appointments required of him by a court order. Wigan justices bailed him until his trial set for October 12.

A Wigan man who finally confessed to a £14,500 benefit fiddle will be sentenced in a month’s time. John Hamilton had previously appeared before both borough magistrates and a Bolton Crown Court judge to deny two counts of fraud, it having been alleged that the 62-year-old of Crompton House, Scholes, that in November 2015 he failed to make a true account of his mental and physical health, intending to make a gain for himself. The second charge alleged that he dishonestly failed to disclose to Wigan Council a change in circumstance in that he was being paid as a personal assistant for George Lavery. But before a trial could take place Hamilton entered a guilty plea and the case was adjourned for sentencing in June. This has now been delayed until July 27.

A Wigan man has denied trying to arrange for a child sex crime to be committed. Paul Fields pleaded not guilty to the single charge of attempting to facilitate an illegal act between February 5 and 19 when he appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge. The 47-year-old of Canberra Road, Marsh Green, was released on conditional bail until his trial on June 29 next year.

Sentencing of a young man who admits peddling hard drugs has been delayed. Lewis Causey, 22, of Falkirk Grove, Norley, appeared before a Bolton Crown Court to plead guilty to supplying cocaine between September 9 and October 3. He will now learn his fate on July 26.

A Wigan man has been jailed after admitting dangerously driving while banned and uninsured. Thomas Simm, 33, of Clifton Road, Ashton, was handed an eight month prison sentence at Bolton Crown Court, having previously pleaded guilty to the three offences while at the wheel of a Mercedes GLA on May 16 in Haseldine Road, Richmond Road and Grange Road. As well as the custodial sentence, Simm was banned from driving for four years and four months.

A young man who denies a double assault will face a crown court trial. Jordan Beach, 22, of Swan Lane, Hindley Green, is charged with causing Ian Hyland and Matthew Jones actual bodily harm and threatening violence on August 11 2019. Also accused of threats and attacking Mr Hyland is Joshua Gannon, 28, from Twiss Lane, Leigh. Both will now appear before a Bolton judge on July 22.

A woman has admitted assaulting three people including a police officer. Kathryn Holland, 33, of Nixon Phillips Drive, Hindley Green, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to assaulting Kerry Jones, Joseph Robinson and PC Mason on April 18 in Leigh and also threatened unlawful violence on the same occasion. She was released on conditional bail until sentencing on July 7.

A Wigan man is to face trial over claims he was armed with an offensive weapon - namely the suction tube of a vacuum cleaner. Gary Atkins, 32, of Lancaster Road, Wigan, denied the single charge of having the attachment in Kitt Green Road for purposes of violence on June 5 and he was released on unconditional bail pending a hearing before Wigan magistrates on July 21.

A teenager who made indecent images of children has been given a five-year sexual harm prevention order. The Wigan 17-year-old, who cannot be named, appeared before Wigan Youth Court to admit having 17 pictures that fall into the lowest category of seriousness (C) in February last year. He was referred to the youth offender panel for 12 months and must pay £107 to the court and victim services.

A Wigan woman who admitted to two attacks has been spared an immediate jail sentence. Shannon Dunn, 26, of Graysons Close, Wigan, had previously stood before borough magistrates to plead guilty to the assaults of Barrie Houghton and PC Alger by beating on January 20. Returning for sentencing, Dunn was handed an 18-week custodial term but it was suspended for 12 months. She must also pay £500 in compensation.

A motorist has admitted flouting a driving ban. David McCormick, 47, of Knowles Place, Scholes, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to being at the wheel of a Ford Focus on Bulteel Street on June 5 last year and to not having insurance. The case was adjourned until July 15 for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

A borough woman has been banned from the road for 12 months after admitting to drug-driving. Nichola Hoy, 47, of Hill Crest Avenue, Leigh, stood before Wigan justices to plead guilty to driving a Vauxhall Zafira in Bickershaw Lane, Platt Bridge, while unfit to drive due to drugs and doing so without a licence or insurance on July 3 last year. A fine plus payments to victim services and the court mean that she also has to stump up £299.

A man has been accused of stealing three knives, a pair of binoculars plus clothing. Jake Farrell, 31, of Wakefield Street, Golborne, appeared before Wigan justices to face a single charge of theft from Niall Bradley on May 13. A plea has yet to be entered and the court adjourned proceedings until July 7.

A motorist has denied driving without a licence or insurance and refusing to give a blood sample when suspected of being under the influence of drink or drugs. But Graham Liptrot, 36, of Grampian Way, Platt Bridge, did admit to being at the wheel of a Honda Jazz on Ridings Lane, Golborne, on June 24 when not wearing a seatbelt. Wigan justices adjourned the other matters for a trial at the same court on October 18 and the defendant was released on unconditional bail until then.

A young man has denied attacking three people. Brandon Gill, 20, of Bond Street, Leigh, stood before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to assaulting Calvin Jones, Megan Shakespeare and Saffron Anderson by beating in Wigan on June 12. He was released on conditional bail until a trial at the same court on October 12.

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