Wigan's week in court

A man has appeared before a judge to deny committing rape in Wigan.

Gregory Padin faces a single charge of attacking the woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - at Bickershaw on February 13.

Police reports stated that the victim was in her 20s.Because of the seriousness of the case, the 42-year-old of Liverpool Road North, Sefton, was immediately sent to Bolton Crown Court where he has now made a first appearance. He was released on conditional bail pending the start of his trial at the same court on December 15.

A man has been punished after finally admitting to possession of drugs and live ammunition.Stewart Gibbons, 35, of Chester Road, Tyldesley, had initially denied being found with several bullets plus cannabis at his home on March 2 2020 and Bolton Crown Court judge set a trial date for this month.

But he has since changed his pleas to guilty and been fined a total of £500 for the two offences. He also forfeited the drugs, related paraphernalia and gun cartridges and must pay a further £50 to victim services.

The trial of a man who denies making dozens of child abuse images has been delayed for another eight months.

Karl Ashton, 33, of Rugby Road, Leigh, had already stood before Wigan justices to plead not guilty to having indecent images falling into all three categories of seriousness - four category A (the gravest), five category B and 133 C between April and November 2018.

A trial date had been set for March this year but it has now been adjourned until November 15.

A community sentence has been imposed on a man who admitted harassing a woman.

Darren Kay, 40, of Scholes, Wigan, appeared before borough justices to plead guilty to distressing Carla Melling on March 13. He was ordered to go on a drug dependency programme and complete 20 days of rehabilitation activities. Kay also has to pay a victim surcharge and costs totalling £180.

A 12-month conditional discharge has been imposed on a man who admitted to handling stolen goods.

Geoffrey Cunliffe, 53, of Orchard Street, Wigan, stood before borough justices to admit to possessing three bank cards on August 14 last year which had been stolen from Helen Atherton. He must also pay £107 to the court and victim services.

A man who admitted to vandalising an advertising hoarding at Wigan North Western station has been given a six-month conditional discharge.

Joseph Melling, 25, of Orrell Road, Orrell, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to committing the offence on August 21. He was also ordered to pay £120 in compensation.

A young man has admitted to an attack and motoring offences.

Karwan Osman, 23, of Bolton Road, Ashton, stood before Wigan justices to plead guilty to assaulting Stephen Woodward on January 16 and, on the same day to refusing to give police a breath or blood specimen and driving without a licence or insurance. He also admitted failing to answer police bail earlier in the month. Osman will be sentenced at the same court on April 7.

A Wigan takeaway and its boss who admitted to stomach-churning breaches in food hygiene standards, have been back in the dock.

The Rice Bowl in Newtown and owner Wen Lin hit the headlines last year after pleading guilty to a host of safety breaches which resulted in them facing thousands of pounds in penalties.

A warrant was earlier this year issued for Wen's arrest after he failed to turn up at Wigan Magistrates' Court over new charges of failing to comply with an improvement order issued under the Health and Safety at Work Act which required remedial work to be carried out on external electrical power and lighting circuits.

Now having appeared before the bench again, the 33-year-old of Glebe Street, Blackburn, has pleaded guilty to the charge and been given a 12-month conditional discharge. There is also £22 to pay to victim services.

Last September's food safety hearing saw serious failings levelled against the Ormskirk Road premises and its owner. Pictures taken of the shabby takeaway’s interior revealed unrefrigerated prawns on the side, piles of raw chicken in a sink and disgustingly filthy and fat-clogged work and cooking surfaces. Wen pleaded guilty to the 13 charges levelled against both him and LCC Food Limited.

Among other charges against the business were that food was stored in containers previously used for raw meat and that the ceiling in the kitchen was covered in plastic bags. There were shortcomings in staff training, the food preparation areas and equipment were filthy and the business had no food management plan in place, prosecutors also say.

One charge read “Floor surfaces under all work benches, cooking ranges and fridges were covered in extensive dirt, food debris and grease, the storage bins, chipper, open food containers and fridge handles were dirty with food debris and grease, and the heated cabinet, wok range, utensil containers and open food containers were covered in food debris.”

Another said that the business “failed to ensure food was protected against contamination likely to render the food unfit for human consumption, injuries to health, or contaminated in such a way that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be consumed in that state, .

“In particular there was uncovered raw chicken in the sink, food was stored directly on the yard floor surface, and open containers of food were stored in the kitchen on shelves very close to the wash basin where it could be splashed when staff washed their hands.

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