Wigan's week in court

A Wigan man who admitted being a passenger in a stolen car that was driven dangerously has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Gavin Barker, 36, of Enid Place, Bamfurlong, allowed himself to be carried in a Toyota Aygo, which had been taken without the owner's consent.

The vehicle went hurtling along Lancaster Avenue, Bridge Street, Market Street, Warrington Road, Lily Lane and Bryn Gates Lane without any regard for the safety of pedestrians or other motorists on April 11 last year.

The vehicle was later recovered and an investigation was carried out by police.

He pleaded guilty to being a passenger in a car that was driven dangerously when he appeared at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court earlier this year.

Barker’s case was sent to Bolton Crown Court for sentencing, but was delayed due to the barristers’ strike.

A judge has now imposed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months.

A man who has admitted assaulting a woman twice in Wigan has appeared in court.

Stewart Crane, 36, of Fleet Avenue, Hartlepool, had denied assaulting Kelly Crane by beating her on June 16 and July 4, but then changed his pleas to guilty. Wigan magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with an alcohol treatment requirement for six months, participation in the Building Better Relationships programme for 20 days, 120 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activities.

A two-year restraining order was imposed which bans Crane from contacting his victim, other than through designated people for child contact.

He must pay £100 compensation and £200 prosecution costs.

A serial shoplifter has been banned from two Wigan stores as he awaits his punishment.

Patrick Lannon, 29, of Keswick Place, Ince, has pleaded guilty to stealing clothes, alcohol, a suitcase and other items from Asda in Newtown and B&M, in Wigan town centre, on eight separate occasions between June 3 and July 2.

He admitted a further charge of attempting to steal meat, cheese and clothes from Asda on June 23.

Wigan magistrates have asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared before the next hearing on November 1.

Lannon was remanded on conditional bail and must not go to Asda or B&M.

A man who denies having a meat cleaver at a supermarket will stand trial next year.

Nathan Taylor, 28, of no fixed address, is charged with having a blade at Asda on September 23, along with on a street on the same day.

Wigan justices have set a trial date of January 30 and he was remanded on conditional bail until then.

A woman who dumped bags of rubbish in an alleyway has been ordered to pay hundreds of pounds by magistrates.

Collette Parkinson, 36, of Amar Street, Ince, has pleaded guilty to leaving a black bin bag filled with household waste in an alleyway at the rear of Ince Green Lane on September 30, 2019, when there was no waste management licence.

She admitted dumping a further six bin bags in the same area on October 15, 2019.

An allegation that she left three bags of rubbish in the same place on February 3, 2020, was withdrawn.

Wigan magistrates ordered Parkinson to pay £602.79 in prosecution costs, £120 fine and £34 to fund victim services.

A woman has been ordered to pay £20 compensation after using someone else's bank card.

Zoe Dewett, 40, of Bridgewater Street, Hindley, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation, in that she used the bank card to buy items for herself from Costcutter and Tabby's off licence in Atherton on January 2.

She had denied a charge of receiving stolen goods - a purse with bank cards and photographs - and that offence has now been withdrawn.

Wigan justices imposed an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £20 in compensation and £22 to fund services for victims.

A borough man who denied harassing two people has been found guilty of being verbally abusive and "naming and abusing" them on social media.

Jonathan O'Malley, 41, of Glebe Street, Leigh, was convicted after a trial of pursuing a course of conduct which amounted to the harassment of Alison Beckinsale and Stephen Fitzpatrick between August 9 and September 26, 2021.

He was remanded on conditional bail until sentencing at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on November 22.

A young man who took a vehicle and caused an accident has been jailed for six months.

Billy Joe Sharratt, 20, of HMP Hindley, had denied aggravated vehicle taking and causing an accident which resulted in injury.

He also denied taking a vehicle without the owner's consent.

But he changed his pleas to guilty as a three-day trial was due to begin at Bolton Crown Court.

Sharratt was also banned from driving for three years and must pay a £128 victim surcharge.

A motorist has been banned from getting behind the wheel for four years after he admitted dangerous driving.

Derek McGlagan, 48, of Sycamore Avenue, Golborne, drove dangerously on the M6 southbound in Tebay on February 14 and then failed to supply a sample of urine when requested by police.

McGlagan also pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of whisky worth £313 from a shop in Tebay.

He was given an 18-month community order, with 25 days of rehabilitation activities and a nine-month drug re rehabilitation

requirement.