Wigan's week in court

A young Wigan man has denied breaking into a home to steal cars and then make off with the victim's motor.

Kieran Barrington, 22, of Forest Avenue, Beech Hill, stood before borough justices to plead not guilty to entering a home in Ascroft Avenue as a trespasser between November 2 and 5 last year and then using keys taken to steal a Ford Puma.

He was released on conditional bail pending a first hearing before a Bolton Crown Court judge on August 5.

Two police officers will go on trial later this year over the alleged sending of an indecent image of a child.

PCs Cameron Barker, 27, and James Williams, 39, both with Greater Manchester Police (GMP), denied wrongdoing when they appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Barker, of Shelley Grove, Droylsden, Tameside, pleaded not guilty to making an indecent photograph of a child on March 23 2019.

Williams, of Primrose Street, Tyldesley, Wigan, pleaded not guilty to distributing an indecent photograph of a child on the same date.

Williams is accused of sending a category C image to Barker.

Both defendants were granted unconditional bail ahead of their trial at the same court on November 22.

Following their charges, GMP said the two officers have been suspended by its Professional Standards Branch pending the outcome of criminal proceedings and any subsequent misconduct hearing.

A Wigan teenager has admitted to being armed in the street with an axe and a knife.

Patrick Price, 19, of West Street, Ince, appeared before borough magistrates to plead guilty to possessing the two offensive weapons in Smethurst Lane, Bolton on May 19.

He was remanded on unconditional bail pending sentence on August 3.

A 21-year-old who had a knuckle duster in Wigan town centre has been given a community punishment.

Josh Buckley, of Scafell Grove, Platt Bridge, stood before Wigan justices to admit having the weapon in King Street on May 22.

He was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £180 to the courts and victim services.

A Wigan man who admitted trying to make sexual contact with a schoolgirl has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Edmund Coughlin, 64, of Hereford Close, Ashton, appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge, having already pleaded guilty to communicating with a girl under the age of 16 and sending a picture of himself to her for his sexual gratification, plus a further charge of making a category C indecent image of a child.

He was given a six-month custodial sentence but it was suspended for two years.

Coughlin must complete 40 days of rehabilitation activities and 80 hours of unpaid work, pay costs and a victim services surcharge totalling £553, observe a sexual harm prevention order for seven years and sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for the same period of time.

A 54-year-old Wigan man who threatened violence will learn his fate next month.

Stephen Edwards, of Langley Close, Golborne, stood before borough magistrates to plead guilty to threatening to launch an attack on December 22 and failing to surrender to bail on July 1.

He was bailed until sentence on August 2 on condition that he does not approach two named females, does not go to the TSB bank in Ashton town centre, sleeps at his home address and reports to the police between 10am and 4pm on June 30.

A trial date has been set for a Wigan man who denies threatening to smash up or set fire to his next-door neighbour's property.

Aaron Stephenson, 34, of Closebrook Road, Worsley Hall, appeared before borough justices to enter a not guilty plea to the single charge of threatening criminal damage to police on April 24.

He was remanded on unconditional bail until August 22 when a trial will take place.

A Wigan man has admitted stealing two bottles of whiskey from a supermarket.

Jack Mountford-Holding, 27, of Christopher Street, Ince, took the booze from Sainsbury's in Westhoughton on June 11.

After pleading guilty, he received a 12-month conditional discharge from Wigan magistrates and was told he has to pay a £22 victim surcharge.

A man will stand trial after denying that he assaulted a man by beating him.

Brett Welch, 26, of Warrington Lane, Scholes, is alleged to have attacked David Dunn on April 15.

He pleaded not guilty and a trial will be held at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court on September 27.

He was remanded on conditional bail until then.

A man armed with a cosh threatened to burn down a public house, a court has heard.

Ryan Hopkins, 36, took the offensive weapon to the Lion Hotel, on Bolton Road, Atherton, at 11.55pm on June 12, 2021.

Just 10 minutes later, he threatened to burn down the pub, with the owner fearing he would do it.

He also sent Facebook messages and voice messages which were "grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character" to a woman on the same day. Hopkins, of Birch Road, Atherton, had previously denied committing the offences, but has now pleaded guilty at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court.

Justices felt the offences were so serious that he should be sentenced by a judge at Bolton Crown Court.

Hopkins will appear there on August 15 and was remanded on unconditional bail until then.