Wigan's week in court

A motorist has been banned from getting behind the wheel for 18 months after being caught drink-driving.

Max Wynn, 34, of Canal Street, Beech Hill, pleaded guilty to drink-driving after he was found to have 64mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, above the legal limit of 34mcg.

He had been driving a Ford Transit on Accrington Road, Burnley, on June 19.

Wigan magistrates imposed the ban and ordered him to pay a £120 fine, £85 prosecution costs and £48 to fund victim services.

A woman found with a knuckle duster, knife and drugs has been given a new punishment by Wigan justices.

Yvonne Allen, 39, of Rathen Avenue, Ince, appeared before Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court after failing to comply with a community order imposed for the crimes.

She admitted not making herself available so electronic monitoring equipment could be installed on three occasions in April.

Rather than hand down an additional punishment, the bench decided to revoke the community order given by Bolton Crown Court and sentence her again.

Allen had been found with a knuckle duster, a knife with a three-inch blade, and class A drugs crack cocaine and diamorphine on April 9 last year.

She was given a new 18-month community order with 30 rehabilitation activity days and ordered to pay a £50 fine.

A man who denies assaulting a woman will stand trial later this year.

Joshua Gallagher, 31, of Chanters Avenue, Atherton, is charged with assault, threatening to start a fire and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.

The incidents are all alleged to have happened on February 10.

He was remanded on unconditional bail until a trial on October 4 at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court.

A man who had denied carrying out an assault at Wigan North Western railway station has changed his plea to guilty.

Sean Tattersall, 50, of Appleton Grove, Goose Green, admitted assaulting James Battersby by beating him on December 18.

He was given a two-year conditional discharge by Wigan magistrates and ordered to pay £105 prosecution costs and £22 victim surcharge.

A man accused of a serious attack will stand trial in the crown court.

Kris Johnson, 39, of Orrell Hall Close, Orrell, is charged with maliciously wounding Alan Wilson with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on February 28.

The offence is so serious that it can only be dealt with by a judge, so he will appear at Bolton Crown Court on September 2.

Johnson was remanded on conditional bail until then.

The long wait goes on for a young man accused of burglary and threatening to burn down a Wigan couple’s house two years ago.

Nathan Massey, 23, was due to appear in the dock for a trial at Bolton Crown Court – a hearing that was scheduled 12 months ago.

But the case has now been delayed by another nine months and will not take place until May 16, 2023.

It relates to accusations that Massey said he would torch Lyndsey and David Swann’s home and burgled a property on Sycamore Avenue, Beech Hill, on July 7, 2020.

He was also charged with being in possession of a machete on Shaftsbury Street, also in Beech Hill, three days later.

Massey, of Findlay Street, Leigh, pleaded not guilty to all of the offences at an earlier court hearing.

He has been remanded on bail until the trial at Bolton Crown Court.

A man has admitted having a lock knife in a public place.

Jack Moore, 27, of Widdows Street, Leigh, pleaded guilty to having the knife in Atherton on April 18, 2019, when he appeared at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court this week. The case was adjourned until August 26 so a pre-sentence report could be prepared.

Moore was remanded on bail with a condition to live and sleep at his home address each night.

A Wigan man has confessed to causing £200 worth of damage to a motorbike.

Lee Probert, 40, of Markland Court, Frog Lane, Wigan, pleaded guilty to damaging the vehicle on August 5, 2021.

But he denied using or threatening to use violence on the same day.

Wigan justices adjourned the hearing until August 30, when a case management hearing will take place.

Probert was remanded on bail with conditions not to contact two named witnesses.

A Wigan driver caught speeding on the motorway has been left with a bill of more than £200.

Terri Barter, 27, of Lichfield Grove, Ashton, pleaded guilty to driving at 64mph on the M6 northbound, between junctions 24 and 26, on January 9.

A temporary speed restriction of 50mph was in place at the time.

Wigan magistrates endorsed her driving licence with three points, but did not impose a disqualification as she would face "exceptional hardship" due to a loss of earnings. Barter was told to pay a £92 fine, £85 costs and £34 victim surcharge.

A Wigan borough man has been ordered to pay £3 compensation after destroying a cup.

Benjamin Brookes, 34, of Wavertree Avenue, Atherton, pleaded guilty to breaking Gary Wilkinson's cup on July 25, 2021.

He also admitted breaching his bail by failing to attend court in November.

Wigan magistrates imposed a six-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £85 prosecution costs and £22 for victim services, along with the £3 compensation.

An allegation that he assaulted a woman by beating her on the same day - which he had denied - was discontinued.

A shoplifter has been banned from three key retail areas after admitting a series of offences.

Wigan magistrates imposed an interim criminal behaviour order ahead of the sentencing of 29-year-old John Blaney-Heyes, of Cecil Street, Leigh.

It forbids him to go to the Spinning Gate shopping centre, Parsonage Retail Park and Bradshawgate in Leigh.

Blaney-Heyes has already pleaded guilty to three offences of stealing food from Iceland in Leigh, and another charge of attempting to steal food.

He also admitted taking clothes worth £800 from Sports Direct in Leigh on New Year's Day.

An allegation that he stole clothes worth £220 from the same shop on another occasion has been dismissed, as no evidence was offered by the prosecution.

Blaney-Heyes will be sentenced by magistrates on August 30.

He was remanded on unconditional bail until then.

A Wigan driver has admitted failing to provide a breath specimen for analysis by the police.

Scott Johnson, 40, of Orrell Hall Close, Orrell, did not give the sample on February 16 when requested by police investigating whether he had committed a criminal offence.

He was remanded on unconditional bail until he is sentenced at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court on August 30.

Three other charges were dismissed by the court when no evidence was offered.

These were allegations he had damaged a car, computer screen and tablet computer on February 16, and that he took a different car without the owner's consent the following day and was involved in an accident.

Johnson had denied all of these charges.

A man caught drink-driving has been banned from the roads for 20 months.

Khalid Almahi, 40, of Little Pasture, Leigh, pleaded guilty to driving on Chapel Green Road, Hindley, on July 11, 2021 while over the drink-drive limit.

He had 61mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, while the legal limit is 35mcg.

Almahi had denied driving without insurance, but was found guilty by Wigan magistrates.

An allegation that he failed to stop at the scene of an accident was dismissed when no evidence was offered.

Almahi was disqualified from driving for 20 months and ordered to pay £400 prosecution costs, £216 fine and £34 to fund victim services.

A man who terrified staff at a Wigan bank has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to stay away for two years.

Stephen Edwards, 54, of Langley Close, Golborne, pleaded guilty to using or threatening to use violence at the TSB bank in Ashton on December 22.

Wigan magistrates decided the offence was so serious that he should be given a custodial sentence, as he had used a weapon and caused "distress" to three members of staff.

But they suspended the 16- week jail term for two years due to his "genuine remorse", lack of previous convictions and willingness to work with probation officers.

Edwards must complete 32 rehabilitation activity days in the next two years as part of the sentence.

A restraining order was imposed for two years which bans him from the bank on Gerard Street, and he was told to pay £300 in compensation.

Edwards also admitted breaching bail by failing to attend court on July 1 and was fined £50.

A man has admitted stealing two boilers worth £3,000.

Marc Hope, 40, of Kingsley Street, Leigh, took them from a property on Glastonbury Avenue, Lowton, between April 2 and 3.

He was remanded on unconditional bail and will be sentenced by Wigan magistrates on August 31.

A man who failed to comply with supervision requirements after leaving prison has been jailed for 14 days.

Scott Hutchinson, 39, who has no fixed address but previously lived on Cornwallis Road, Worsley Mesnes, admitted failing to attend an appointment and maintain contact with his named officer.

Wigan magistrates also sentenced him for a series of motoring offences.

He had pleaded not guilty to driving on Logwood Avenue without due care and attention and without a valid licence, insurance or MOT certificate.

He also denied driving the Chevrolet Lacetti when it was involved in a collision with another car, failing to provide his name and address, and not reporting it to the police. Hutchinson was found guilty of all of the offences in his absence.

He was banned from driving for six months and fined £100.

A man has been banned from all retail outlets in Wigan town centre after admitting being a shoplifter.

Kelvin Sharratt, 28, of Eaton Terrace, Ince, pleaded guilty to taking four washing pods worth £39.96 from B&M Bargains on May 29 and hair clippers worth £100 from Boots on June 1.

He also admitted failing to surrender to bail by not going to court last month. He was remanded on bail until his next court hearing, with conditions not to enter any shop in Wigan town centre, including in the Grand Arcade and Market Hall, and to live and sleep at his home address.

Sharratt will be sentenced after a trial for several other matters.

He is also accused of stealing air fresheners worth £131.70 from Bargain Buys on May 6, going into the shop while banned by a criminal behaviour order, and threatening to kill a child in Leigh on May 26.

He will appear at Bolton Magistrates' Court for a trial on September 7.

A Wigan man accused of sexual assault will stand trial in the crown court.

Gavin Winstanley, 39, of Park Road, Orrell, is charged with sexually touching a woman without her consent on August 29, 2021.

He was remanded on unconditional bail until a hearing at Bolton Crown Court on September 5.

A woman will stand trial next month accused of failing to meet the needs of two dogs.

Scarlett Orlik, 23, of Lincoln Drive, Ashton, is alleged to have failed to provide a suitable environment and diet, and not allowed them to exhibit normal behaviours.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charge and will appear at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court on September 1 for a trial.

Two teenagers found carrying a large kitchen knife and an axe have been given suspended prison sentences.

Nineteen-year-olds Patrick Price, of West Street, Ince, and Miles Harris, of South Lane in Tyldesley, had the weapons on Smethurst Lane, Bolton, on May 19.

They both pleaded guilty when they appeared before Wigan magistrates and were each given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Harris must do 15 rehabilitation activity days, while Price was told to do 100 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 month and attend 10 rehabilitation activity days.

They must both pay £128 to fund victim services and £85 towards prosecution costs.

Magistrates ordered that the knife and axe should be forfeited and destroyed.

A Wigan man has been fined £40 after breaching requirements when he was released from prison.

Dale McLaughlin, 33, of Scholes, admitted failing to maintain contact with his designated officer between July 14 and 18.

A community order was handed down to a borough man who admitted assaulting a police officer.

Stephen Miller, 28, of Twist Lane, Leigh, attacked the police constable in Wigan on May 22.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with 10 days of rehabilitation activity and 50 hours of unpaid work. He must pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

A Wigan man has denied carrying a hammer in a public place and threatening two people with it.

Guy Cowen, 51, of Lowe Street, Golborne, is alleged to have threatened Kelly and Chris Abbott on June 26.

Wigan justices adjourned the case until November 14 for a trial and Cowen was remanded on bail until then, with a condition not to contact the complainants.

A woman has been left with a hefty bill after she admitted carrying out an assault.

Amy Waryck, 28, of Birch Road, Atherton, assaulted Rebecca Waters by beating her on January 9.

Wigan magistrates ordered her to pay a £403 fine, £250 compensation, £85 prosecution costs and £40 victim surcharge.