Wigan’s week in court

A woman has been found guilty in her absence of failing to provide information as to who was at the wheel of her car when a motoring offence took place.

Claire Sweetman, 45, of Sandringham Road, had pleaded not guilty at a previous hearing to the charge relating to an offence involving a Volkswagen Polo.

But when she did not attend on the date of the trial, magistrates pressed ahead and found her guilty.

The case was adjourned until May 13 to decide if there is any mitigating evidence which prevents her getting a road ban.

A "persistent offender" has been locked up for a total of 18 weeks after stealing meat from the same store on three separate occasions.

Shaun Atkins, 37, of Orchard Street, Wigan, stood before borough justices to admit to the three thefts from Tesco Express on March 29, April 1 and April 4 in which £190 worth of meat was taken in total.

Justices told him that he was going down for so long because of his record of offending and the fact that he was on licence at the time of the crimes. He also has £128 to pay to victim services.

One of Wigan's most prolific offenders is back behind bars again after another bout of thieving.

Zara Fairhurst, 31, of Orchard Street, Wigan, stood before borough magistrates to plead guilty to stealing £150 worth of children's toys from Asda on

March 28 and washing up pods and Easter eggs valued at £58 from McColls on April 5.

She was sent to prison for four weeks and must pay £278 in compensation and to victim services.

A motorist who admitted to driving when almost three times over the legal alcohol limit has been banned from driving for 40 months.

Wojciech Eichelberger, 47, of Walthew Lane, Platt Bridge, further pleaded guilty to driving a BMW 525D without insurance or a licence on Davies Street on January 30.

He was ordered by Wigan justices to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £180 to victim services and the court.

A young Wigan motorist is facing a fresh road disqualification and having to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work after he was caught drug-driving while banned in North Wales.

Ashley Holt, 22, of Myrtle Avenue, Ashton, stood before justices to admit to having cannabis in his system when police stopped a Volkswagen Polo in Conwy on October 7, that he was already barred from being at the wheel and thus had no insurance.

His new ban will last for three years and as well as the unpaid work he also has to fork out £180 to victim services and the court.

A 22-year-old man has been accused of making indecent images of children.

Hilton Mtongwizo, of Gidlow Lane, Wigan, stood before borough justices to face charges of creating 16 images that fall into the most serious category

of abuse images (A), plus 22 that are category B and another 21 in category C.

Because of the seriousness of the offences, the case has been sent to Bolton Crown Court where Mtongwizo will make his first appearance on May 5.

He has yet to enter any pleas and is released on conditional bail until his next court date.

A man has admitted to being armed with a martial arts weapon and causing criminal damage.

Paul Musgrove, 58, of Hollington Way, Winstanley, stood before borough justices to plead guilty to having nunchucks - two batons joined by a chain - with

him on Castleton Way, and that he caused more than £350 to a Ford Fiesta belonging to John Clements.

Both offences happened on April 30 last year.

The case was adjourned until Musgrove is sentenced on May 11.

A young man who admitted to going armed in public with an axe has been given a 16-week suspended prison sentence.

Joshua Hodson, 23, of Laithwaite Road, Worsley Hall, stood before Wigan justices to admit to the single charge of possessing an offensive weapon in Corvus Close, Ince, on November 21.

As well as the sentence, which is suspended for two years, he must carry out 25 days of rehabilitation activities and 100 hours of unpaid work and there

is £213 to pay to the court and victim services.

A provisional trial date has been set for seven men accused of conspiring to murder a Wigan dad.

The defendants were making their first appearance before a Manchester Crown Court judge in connection with the tragic death of 37-year-old Christopher Hughes from Marsh Green.

His body was found on White Moss Road South near the M58 at Skelmersdale in February, four days after he was last sighted in the Norley area of

Wigan and after police had issued a plea to help track him down.

A subsequent post-mortem examination concluded that he had died from multiple injuries delivered during a “frenzied attack.”

In the dock were Andrius Uzkuraitis, 26, of Holly Road, Worsley Hall; Alan Jaf, 51, of Ridyard Street, Worsley Hall; Khalil Awla, 48, of Greenwood Avenue, Worsley Hall; Erland Spahiu, 33, of Uppingham, Skelmersdale; Curtis Balbas, 30, of Matheson Drive, Worsley Hall; Dean Smeaton O'Neill-Davey, 29

of Bulteel Street, Pemberton; and Mohammed Razgar, 40, of Plane Avenue, Worsley Hall.

None of the defendants has yet to enter a plea but a trial date of October 17 was nonetheless scheduled.

However each will also be appearing in the court for a pretrial and preparation hearing on June 20 when pleas may be entered.

In the meantime all seven suspects continue to be remanded in custody.