Wigan's week in court

A serial thief who targeted four Wigan stores has received a community punishment.

Michael Huber, 33, of Hall Street, Swinton, appeared before borough magistrates to plead guilty to six charges of theft, three of which involved taking handbags, cosmetics and other items from TK Maxx.

He also stole a vacuum cleaner from Asda, gift set from Boots and food from Aldi.

All the offences took place in April.

His punishment takes the form of 20 days of rehabilitation activities plus an order to pay compensation, a fine and victim services surcharge totalling £590.

A year-long road ban has been imposed on a Wigan van man who drove on false plates while uninsured and under the influence of cocaine.

Paul Pennington, 37, of McAulay Place, Goose Green, admitted to being at the wheel of a Ford Transit in Queen Street on October 22 after taking the drug, having phoney registration and not being legally covered.

As well as the disqualification to serve, Pennington must also pay £359 in fines, costs and a victim services surcharge.

A motorist who failed to give police a breath test has been barred from the road for three years. Jake Richardson, 24, of Darlington Street East, Wigan, appeared before borough justices to plead guilty to failing to provide a specimen on March 7.

Richardson was told that he can reduce his ban to 36 weeks if he takes a state-sanctioned course for drink-drivers, but he must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activities.

A victim services surcharge and court costs mean he also has £180 to pay.

A man must complete 120 hours of unpaid work for an attack, theft and criminal damage.

Christopher Crompton, 40, of Heyford Road, Marsh Green, assaulted Martin Walsh by beating, stole confectionary and broke a door at a local McColl's store on March 7, Wigan magistrates heard.

The bench also ordered him to go on a drug dependency course and pay compensation, costs and a surcharge to victim services totalling £380.

A man who admitted to launching an attack and criminal damage has been spared an immediate jail term.

Mark Wareing, 36, of Graysons Close, Wigan, stood before borough justices to plead guilty to assaulting Sarah Kenyon by beating and causing £500 damage to fixtures and fittings on December 1.

He was given a four-week prison sentence but it was suspended for 18 months. He must also undergo mental health treatment and pay £600 in compensation.

A young man who was spotted in the street wielding a machete will be sentenced next month.

Nathan Fairhurst, 21, of Thomas Street, Hindley, stood before Wigan justices to admit having the bladed weapon in Westwell Street on March 31.

Sentencing will take place on June 9.

A 20-year-old has denied taking a motorbike without the owner's consent and attempted theft.

Billy Joe Sharratt, 20, of HMP Hindley, appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead not guilty to taking a Yamaha Phaser on July 1 and trying to steal items from a Peugeot Expert van on July 18.

A trial date at Bolton Crown Court was set for June 15.

A young Wigan woman has pleaded guilty to driving badly after drinking liquor.

Toni Hill, 24, of Leigh Road, Hindley Green, stood before borough magistrates to admit she drove a Kia Picanto in Bolton without due care and attention on April 3 and that when breathalysed by police gave a reading of 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Originally she had been charged with dangerous driving but this was changed to a lesser offence.

The bench banned her from the road for 19 months although this can be reduced to 19 weeks if she completes a state-sanctioned course for drink-drivers.

A fine, victim services surcharge and costs mean she also has £507 to pay.

Brothers who deny smuggling drugs into Wigan’s jail four years ago will only be tried next year.

Jordan and Martin Gavin appeared before a Bolton judge charged with sneaking cocaine, cannabis and steroids into Hindley Prison between November 9 and 16, 2018.

Jordan, 21, from Baxendale Street, Astley Bridge, and Martin, 23, of Hope Hey Lane, Little Hulton, also denied shipping phones, sim cards and chargers into the institution.

They were due to stand trial this month but the proceedings have now been further delayed to February 14 2023.

A man and woman are awaiting their fates after finally admitting they threatened unlawful violence.

Martin Wade, 29, and Stacey Waugh, 43, both of Broom Road, Worsley Hall, had been due to stand trial at Bolton Crown Court this month relating to an incident in June last year.

But they have now changed their pleas to guilty and will be sentenced on May 25.

They had been two of five people charged in connection with the fracas but the other three had pleaded guilty to the same charges.

Michael and Wendy Porter, 42 and 34 respectively and who live in Broom Road, Worsley Hall, along with 40-year-old Michael Bridge, of Bulteel Street in Pemberton, were all sentenced last August.

Michael Porter was given a 45-week jail term although it was suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities and 60 hours of unpaid work.

Michael Porter was given a nine-month prison sentence which was suspended for 12 months while Wendy Porter was given 32 weeks suspended for the same period.

They were ordered to complete 10 days of rehab activities and 60 hours of unpaid work.

All three had to make payments to victim services.

A 64-year-old Wigan man has admitted trying to make sexual contact with a schoolgirl.

Edmund Coughlin, from Hereford Close, Ashton-in-Makerfield, appeared before borough magistrates to plead guilty to communicating with a girl under the age of 16 and sending a picture of himself to her for his sexual gratification, plus making a category C indecent image of a child.

He was released on unconditional bail until sentence at Bolton Crown Court on June 8.

A Wigan man has denied being in possession of six prohibited images of children.

Steven Hayes, 46, of Diane Road, Ashton, stood before borough justices to plead not guilty to the single charge relating to an offence alleged to have taken place on March 3 2020.

The case was sent to Bolton Crown Court where Hayes will make his first appearance before a judge on June 15.

A Plymouth-based Wigan Athletic fan has denied bringing a flare to the team's crunch tie with Bolton Wanderers last month.

Cameron Hendy, 27, of North Down Road, Plymouth, appeared before borough justices to plead not guilty to the single charge of having the incendiary device in Wigan on April 2.

The case was adjourned until August 28.

A Wigan man has been jailed for three years and five months after admitting to having a pen disguised as a gun plus live ammunition.

On his first appearance before a Bolton Crown judge, 31-year-old Craig Walker, of HMP Whatton, had pleaded guilty to having the disguised weapon in Golborne without a firearms certificate or permission from the secretary of state in Golborne on September 27 plus 27 .22 cartridges, also without a certificate.

An armed robber will learn his fate in July after admitting to two knifepoint muggings.

Sean Derbyshire, 19, of Forest Bank Prison in Manchester, appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge to plead guilty to two counts of robbery and two of possessing an offensive weapon.

He will continue to be remanded in custody until his sentencing at the same court on July 13.

A 22-year-old Wigan man has admitted to peddling drugs and possessing a knuckle duster.

Connor Galvin, of George Street in Hindley, was found in possession of both cannabis and amphetamine with intent to supply the class B substances and also the offensive weapon - all on September 22 2020.

Borough magistrates sent the case to Bolton Crown court and on his first appearance there he entered guilty pleas to all three charges.

The case was adjourned until July 4 when he will be sentenced.

A young Wigan man has finally admitted to launching a vicious attack.

Connor Banks, 22, of Eton Terrace, Ince, is charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding William Nicholson on December 2 last year.

Because of the seriousness of the accusation against him, the bench at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court had immediately sent the case to be heard by a Bolton Crown Court judge and on appearing there, Banks immediately changed his plea to guilty.

He was released on bail pending sentence on July 4.

A trial date has been set for a Wigan woman who denies assaulting three people on the same day.

Katie Allen, 24, of Hawthorn Rise, Whelley, is accused of assaulting Benjamin Allen, Bethany Alder and Karen O'Connor in Leigh on November 29.

She pleaded not guilty to the offences when she appeared before Wigan magistrates, but did admit destroying a vase worth £50 belonging to Mr Allen on that day.

A trial date of July 22 was set before which Allen has been released on conditional bail.

A young man has been accused of being involved in a hit and run smash which injured a woman then reporting his car stolen to throw the blame onto someone else.

Botond Berzsenyi, 22, of Leigh Road, Hindley Green, appeared before Wigan justices charged with driving a Mercedes E Class car on Chorley New Road, Bolton, dangerously when it was involved in a collision in which Natalie Standish was injured.

He is further charged of having no insurance at the time, of failing to stop after the collision and then conspiring with Barbara Berezsenyi to report the car stolen in order to pervert the course of justice.

The bench sent the case to be heard on June 10 at Bolton Crown Court before which time Berezsenyi was released on conditional bail.

A ninth man has been charged with conspiring to murder a Wigan dad.

Christopher Hughes, 37, from Marsh Green, disappeared on Friday, February 18 after he was seen getting into the back of a vehicle on Almond Grove, Worsley Hall.

Police issued an appeal for help to find him, but his body was discovered on White Moss Road South, near the M58 in Skelmersdale, four days later.

Erion Voja, 20, of Peall Road, Croydon, London, appeared before Wigan justices charged with conspiring to murder Mr Hughes.

He was remanded in custody until he makes an appearance before a Manchester Crown Court judge on June 1.

Eight other men have already been charged with the same offence.

They are Martin Smith, 33, of Laithwaite Road, Worsley Hall, 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.

Those men will next appear in court for a pre-trial and preparation hearing on June 20.

Police are continuing to investigate Mr Hughes’ death and anyone with information is asked to contact them, quoting Operation Feverfew, either online or by calling 0161 856 3400.

Information can also be shared anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

A 34-year-old man has denied attacking two police officers, possessing a cut-throat razor and going equipped for a break-in armed with a glass-cutter.

John Webster, 34, of Broadway, Hindley, stood before Wigan justices charged with assaulting PCs Andrew Burn and Sarah Cavanagh by beating during the course of their duties, having an offensive weapon and possessing a tool for burglary.

After pleading not guilty to all the allegations, he was remanded in custody pending a trial at the same court on May 23.

The case of a Wigan woman accused of burgling a home, being armed with a knife and trying to use a bank card taken in the raid will go before a judge.

Nicola Kelly, 37, of Valiant Road, Marsh Green, stood before borough justices charged with breaking into a house in Crabtree Road on May 6 and stealing a bank card, clothing and mobile phone, having an offensive weapon and committing fraud by attempting to use the card to withdraw cash by using false representation.

Kelly was remanded in custody until she makes her first appearance at Liverpool Crown Court on June 13.

She has yet to enter pleas.

A Wigan man will be tried by magistrates after denying a series of crimes including smashing a shop window and, unusually, being armed with mountaineering gear.

Andrew Howarth, 39, of Millers Lane, Platt Bridge, stood before borough justices charged with shattering a £1,000 window belonging to Iceland foods, possession of cannabis, threatening behaviour and being armed with carabiners.

All the offences are alleged to have taken place on October 30.

The case was adjourned until August 15.

A thief has been locked up for eight weeks after admitting to two thefts.

Jonathan Chappell, 41, of Vulcan Road, Marsh Green, stood before Wigan magistrates to plead guilty to stealing £90 worth of jewellery and make-up from Boots on December 4 and six bottles of rose wine from Bargain Booze on April 15.

He was told he was being sent to prison because he had failed to comply with a community order in the past and because he has committed similar crimes before.