Wigan's week in court

The trial of a Wigan 63-year-old who denied historical sex offences against three schoolgirls, some dating back more than 40 years, has been delayed for another 10 months.

Glen Stone, of Duncan Place, Worsley Hall, has already appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge to plead not guilty to four counts of indecently assaulting girls under the age of 14 between October 1978 and July 1988.

Two of the charges both allege that the named females were attacked no fewer than 10 times each.

A trial of five to seven days in length was to have begun in late February this year but was first adjourned until November 7 and, following a new hearing, has been further postponed until September 11 2023.

Stone remains on conditional bail until then.

A 32-year-old Wigan man has admitted viciously attacking a woman and will learn his fate next month.

Shane Woods, of Balcarres Avenue in Aspull, had been charged with causing a woman grievous bodily harm on March 22.

A November trial date had been set at Bolton Crown Court in case he denied the charge.

But at his latest appearance before a judge he pleaded guilty and so the trial was vacated.

Sentencing was adjourned until December 9.

A young man has been given a community punishment for assault.

Jack Fowler, 25, of no fixed address, stood before Wigan justices to admit attacking Bryan Fowler on March 9.

The hearing was told that the offence was compounded by the fact that he was serving a community order for harassing a woman at the time.

He was ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities, is the subject of a restraining order until May 4 next year which bars him from Derwent Road in Orrell and prevents any contact with Bryan or Jacqueline Fowler.

He must also pay a £50 fine.

A Wigan 23-year-old has been charged with being armed in public with a blade.

Daniel Hilton, of Wigan Lane, is accused of having a knife in Hough Lane, Tyldesley, on March 7.

He has yet to enter a plea and was remanded on conditional bail by Wigan and Leigh magistrates until he next appears before them on December 12.

A motorist has been fined and banned from the road for six months after admitting he failed to identify who was at the wheel of his Ford Transit when it was involved in a driving offence.

Geoffrey Jones, 42, of Heber Street, Ince, stood before borough justices to plead guilty to not giving information requested by the police of who was driving the van when an infringement was committed on October 25 last year.

With a victim services surcharge added to the financial penalty, Jones has £384 to pay.

A shoplifter who threatened a man with a large screw and was verbally abusive has been given community punishments.

Wayne McMahon, 38, of Kitt Green Road, Marsh Green, had appeared before Wigan justices to deny stealing a bike lock from Halfords and an Easter egg from Aldi on April 5 and also to using threatening behaviour, menacing Scott Highton and wielding the sharpened object on the same day.

But he was found guilty after a trial and was also convicted of failing to answer bail for a July 18 court hearing.

Back before justices, McMahon was ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activities and undergo alcohol dependency treatment.

Sentencing of a 34-year-old woman who admits attacking another woman at a Wigan pub has been delayed.

Lucy Mullock of Palm Grove, Worsley Hall, appeared before borough justices to plead guilty to causing Natalie Walsh actual bodily harm on July 24 last year at the Springfield Hotel.

She was due to be sentenced in October but the hearing was first adjourned to November and is now scheduled to take place on March 13 next year.

A young Wigan man who had denied dangerous driving has now changed his plea.

Jamie Smith had been due to stand trial on the charge at Bolton Crown Court at the beginning of the year but the case was adjourned to September but then postponed again due to the barristers' strike.

At the latest hearing he pleaded guilty to the incident on Coronation Avenue, Spar Road and Hillside Avenue in Atherton on February 20, 2020.

Smith, 31, of Atherton Road in Hindley, was released on bail pending his sentencing by a judge on January 16.

Sentencing of a Wigan borough man who admits issuing threats and taking an axe to Leigh Asda's car park has been further delayed.

Adam Willerton, 38, of Sandringham Drive in Leigh, who threatened John Saro and wielded the offensive weapon on July 2, will now learn his fate from a Bolton Crown Court judge on December 21.

A man has been accused of having dangerously out-of-control dogs which savaged a woman.

Terence Rainford, 54, of Birkrigg, Skelmersdale, appeared before Wigan magistrates charged with failing to stop two bull mastiffs from attacking a named woman at Beacon Country Park, Up Holland, on April 26 which left her with injuries.

The case was adjourned until December 13 for a Newton hearing which means that the defendant admits to the charge but disputes the details which could have a bearing on the strength of sentence.