Wigan's week in court

The latest round-up of those who have appeared before Wigan magistrates and in the dock at crown court.
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A thug who admitted viciously attacking a woman has received a lengthy jail sentence.

Shane Woods, 33, of Balcarres Avenue in Aspull, pleaded guilty to causing a woman grievous bodily harm on March 22 last year during an earlier court hearing.

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He has now appeared at Bolton Crown Court to be sentenced and was told he would spend 11 years and six months behind bars.

Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' CourtWigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court
Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court

Upon his release from prison, Woods must then spend a further five years on extended licence.

Sentencing of a man who twice breached a non-molestation order by driving past his ex's house has been delayed.

Lee Turner, 35, of Harvey Lane, Golborne, had denied the charges of cruising past the named woman’s home on July 9 and 19 but was convicted by magistrates in his absence. He also admitted breaching bail on October 5.

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The order had only been imposed by magistrates a month previously, the court heard.

He was due to be sentenced by the bench in the first week of the new year.

But the hearing has now been postponed until January 26. In the meanwhile he is awaiting trial at the same court on January 23 on other matters: assault by beating, intentional strangulation and stalking of another woman.

He had been on bail for the non-molestation order breaches but, after appearing again before justices, he has been remanded in custody over the matters addressed by the trial.

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A serial shoplifter has been barred from every Wigan retail outlet.

Malcolm Ellison, whom magistrates say has an appalling track record for theft, had appeared before them again to admit stealing £20 worth of washing machine pods from B&M Bargains on September 14.

The 56-year-old of Keats Avenue, Worsley Mesnes, has now been been hit with a year-long criminal behaviour order banning him from the Ashton's Gerard Centre in particular and any retail outlet in the Wigan area in general.

The order also prohibits him from putting anyone in fear of violence in the Wigan area.

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He was also given a six-month conditional discharge and must pay £110 in costs and a victim services surcharge.

A young Wigan motorist has been further banned from the road and hit with a community order after he was caught in Hull driving while disqualified.

Danien Handzelko, 28, of Belmont Avenue, Bickershaw, appeared before borough justices to admit being at the wheel of an Audi A4 on Hessle Road in the East Yorkshire city on January 13 last year when he was barred from driving and didn't have the correct insurance.

His ban was extended by six months and he must also complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £199 to the court and victim services.

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A man accused of twice breaching the terms of his sentence by contacting a named woman has walked free after the case against him collapsed.

Jamie Ascroft, 36, of Levens Place, Ince, had been charged with phoning the woman while withholding the number on October 2 and making unwanted contact with her on February 4 last year.

When he entered not guilty pleas a trial was scheduled to take place at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court this month.

But before the hearing could begin, no evidence was offered by the prosecution and so the bench dismissed the charges, telling the defendant that he was free to go.

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A man who had denied having a meat cleaver at a supermarket and hurling threats has now admitted his guilt.

Nathan Taylor, 28, of Newton Avenue in Leigh, had been charged with having a blade at Asda on Priestners Way, Leigh, on September 16 2022, along with using threatening language or behaviour against Phillip Harding on the same day.

After pleading not guilty, a trial date was set at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court.

However before the hearing could start, he changed both of his pleas and was bailed pending the preparation of pre-sentence reports and until he returns to court to learn his fate on February 6.

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A condition of his bail is that he does not go within 500m of Leigh Asda in order to prevent further offending.

Two Wigan brothers who admitted carrying out a series of crimes – including dangerous driving and handling stolen goods – are now both behind bars.

Anthony Barrington, 20, has been detained in a young offenders’ institution for five years and four months, while Kieron Barrington, 23, was jailed for two years.

The pair, of Forest Avenue, Beech Hill, appeared at Bolton Crown Court after pleading guilty to a catalogue of crimes at an earlier hearing.

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Anthony Barrington stole a Mercedes Benz on June 26 and was caught driving it dangerously in the Beech Hill area on both that day and June 28.

He also admitted to robbery, burglary and breaching two suspended prison sentences.

As well as the prison sentence, he was disqualified from driving for four years.

Kieron Barrington pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and breaching a suspended sentence.

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He was jailed for 12 months for each offence, to run consecutively.

A trial date has been set for a woman who denies being in a car she knew to have been taken without the owner's consent.

Natalie Carruthers, 37, of Charterhouse Road, Ince, stood before borough justices to plead not guilty to the single charge of allowing herself to be carried in an illegally-taken Audi A3 on May 3 last year.

She was given bail on condition that she sleeps at her home address until a trial takes place at the same court on April 18.