Wigan's week in court

A Wigan man will be tried by magistrates over claims that he attacked a woman. Paul Fairhurst, 35, of Patterdale Road, Ashton, stood before Wigan justices to enter a not guilty plea to a charge of causing Victoria Gorvett actual bodily harm on September 13 last year. He did admit to breaching a bail condition imposed by Manchester and Salford magistrates by contacting Ms Gorvett on January 4 this year. He was remanded on bail until his trial at Bolton Magistrates’ Court on April 7 but it is conditional that he does not have any contact with the complainant.

A man has denied threatening two people. Keiron Wood, 33, of Livingstone Street, Ashton, appeared before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to a single charge of using threatening or distressing language against Nicholas Mitsi and Heather Taylor on September 7. He was released on bail until a trial on March 28 before which time he must not approach either complainant nor enter Haddon Street, Ashton.

A man who denied being armed in public with a blunt instrument has now admitted doing so. Andrew Wiggins, 54, of Foster Street, Wigan, had appeared before borough magistrates to plead not guilty to having an “adapted metal pole with screw” as an offensive weapon on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Wigan on November 10. After pleading not guilty, the case was sent to be heard by a Bolton judge where Wiggins changed his plea. He was released on bail pending sentence on January 31.

A woman has to pay compensation to a police officer she attacked. Emma Wrigley, 42, of Princess Road, Ashton, appeared before Wigan justices to admit assaulting emergency worker PC Swift on November 26. A total of £204 must be paid to victim services, the officer and to the court as a fine.

A motorist who admitted to twice obstructing police after they stopped her for driving while banned has been given a community punishment. Ashleigh Barrington, 30, of Sudbury Close, Hawkley Hall, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to being at the wheel of a Ford Fusion in Gordon Street on May 29 while disqualified and having no insurance, and then repeating the offences while driving a Chevrolet Matiz in Hamilton Square on August 11. On both occasions she also obstructed police constables in the execution of their duty. The bench banned her from driving for two years and ordered that she complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities. A fine, court costs and a victim services surcharge mean she also has £290 to pay.

Magistrates have blasted a teenager who attacked a man recovering from heart surgery. Adam Knowles, 19, of Alder Avenue, Bryn, stood before Wigan justices to admit assaulting not only Larry Smith but also his partner Dawn Siddal and emergency worker Lisa Naylor on December 3. He was given four weeks’ custody but it was suspended for 12 months. The chairman of the bench told him, “This was an extremely unpleasant and totally unnecessary incident in which you attacked one victim who had had recent heart surgery and pushed his partner to the floor. You then compounded your behaviour by kicking your shoe into the face of the custody detention officer which resulted in a bloodied lip. Your behaviour was absolutely unacceptable.” As well as the custodial sentence, Knowles must also complete 26 days of rehabilitation activities and 50 hours on unpaid work while paying a total of £175 in compensation to his three victims.

A woman has admitted to drink-driving a high performance car she had taken without the owner’s consent. Emma Finn, 42, of Almond Brook Road, Standish, stood before Wigan magistrates to plead guilty to being at the wheel of the Jaguar X-Type on Simfield Close, on December 9, having given a reading of 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35. She admitted to taking the vehicle without the owner’s consent and driving without insurance, but denied the taking of two mobile phones on the same occasion. A trial will take place at the same court on March 14 after which she will be sentenced for the other offences.

A former inmate of Hindley Prison has finally admitted possessing contraband and weapons there. Colin Hayes had appeared before borough justices charged with having two mobile telephones and a dongle plus three hacksaw blades and a needle on November 9 2020. On his first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge, the 20-year-old pleaded not guilty and trial date was set. But now that has arrived he has changed his plea and will be sentenced on February 7.

A Wigan couple who racially menaced a woman have been given conditional discharges. Louise Disley, 45, and Neil Disley, both of Coniston Avenue, Ince, admitted causing Pauline Czornaja harassment or distress by using racist language on May 25. Each was given an 18-month conditional discharge and each must pay a total of £107 to the court and victim services.

A man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Wigan has been released on bail. The suspect, who is in his 30s, was detained following an incident at an address in School Way, Norley, on the afternoon of Wednesday December 29. Emergency services attended and found a seriously injured man and a young boy, who had suffered minor injuries. The boy was taken to hospital but his injuries were said at the time not thought to be life-threatening or life-changing. Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances. A police spokeswoman said that the man had been released on bail until the end of January pending further investigations. One neighbour said, “Police have been doing door to door enquiries this afternoon. We saw a young boy being taken away in an ambulance.” Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 1782 or 101 quoting incident 1964 of 29/12/21. Alternatively details can be passed via the LiveChat function at www.gmp.police.uk or via the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

A teenager will be sentenced next month for dangerously driving a vehicle that wasn’t his. Jacob Gaskell, 18, of Marlborough Avenue, Ince, stood before Wigan justices to admit to driving a Toyota Proace appallingly on Atherton Road, Wigan Road and Manchester Road on January 5 and that the vehicle in question had been taken without the owner’s consent. He was released on conditional bail until his sentencing by a Bolton Crown Court judge on February 4.

A man has admitted to two attacks and three counts of criminal damage - but a charge of witness intimidation against him has been dropped. Craig Reid, 33, of Langdale Road, Orrell, had initially denied assaulting Nicola Williams and Lee Grundy by beating on Dean Crescent, Kitt Green, on September 1. But at his latest appearance at Wigan Magistrates’ Court, he changed his pleas to guilty. He also admitted to smashing a window belonging to Ms Williams and breaking the window of a car belonging to Denica Grundy all on the same day. There was a further admission of criminal damage involving a broken £500 door at Ms Williams’s house on June 5 2019 but a charge of intimidating Ms Williams as a witness on November 26 2020, which Reid had denied, was dismissed by the bench. He was remanded on conditional bail until his sentence at the same court on January 27.

A man who twice flashed at a teenaged girl has avoided an immediate spell behind bars. David Winterbottom, 57, of Thomas Street, Hindley Green, had initially pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent exposure on September 6 and 8 2018. But on the eve of his Bolton Crown Court trial last year he changed his pleas. Returning to the court for sentencing, Winterbottom was given a 12-month custodial term but it was suspended for two years. He must also complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities, 150 hours of unpaid work and the Horizon programme aimed at rehabilitating sex offenders. He is furthermore made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

A man has admitted taking part in a Wigan house raid in which a pensioner was badly beaten with an extendable baton. Joseph Fishwick, 28, of Malvern Crescent, Ince, had been accused of aggravated burglary and has been further remanded in custody by a Bolton Crown Court judge until he is sentenced next month. Shortly before 9.15pm on November 27 officers were called to a disturbance at a home on Warrington Road, Ince. They found that a man knocked on the front door and when the victim answered, he was immediately assaulted with a bar. Emergency services attended and the 69-year-old victim Ian Harris was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Police quickly arrived at the property and located a suspect. However, following a brief struggle, he managed to break free and flee the scene. Images of the suspect at the victim’s address were published and shortly after Det Con David Law, of GMP Wigan’s Criminal Investigation Division, described the incident as “a vicious attack on an elderly and vulnerable man who was unable to defend himself.” Arrested later, Fishwick was charged with entering the house as a trespasser and then inflicting grievous bodily harm to Mr Harris using an extendable baton. He will learn his fate on February 28.

A man and woman who deny having an out-of-control pit bull which savaged another man will be tried in eight months’ time.

Shane Evans, 25, and Joanne Washtington, 44, of Oak Avenue, Golborne, have pleaded not guilty to failing to prevent the dog from attacking John Anders on May 29 last year in Nook Lane.

Wigan justices sent the case to be heard at Bolton Crown court where the pair have now been told that their trial will take place on September 6. They are on bail until then.