Wigan's week in court

A man has appeared before Wigan magistrates to deny making child abuse images and possessing a bestiality film.

Daniel Healey, 33, of Crossfield Road, Skelmersdale, is charged with making 10 images of abuse that fall into the middle category of legal seriousness (B) and 11 which are category C.

There is a further charge of possessing 52 category C images and one of a person performing a lewd act with a horse.

All the offences are alleged to have been committed between August 16 2018 and August 15 the following year.

Healey was remanded on unconditional bail until his trial at the same court on June 13.

The date of a first appearance before a judge has been set for a Wigan man charged with killing a mum-of-three in a road smash.

Jack Knowles, 33, from Hall Lane in Hindley is accused of causing death by careless driving and committing an act with intent to pervert the course of public justice.

Pedestrian Katherine West was seriously injured when she was in collision with an SUV on Ladies' Lane, in Hindley on Bonfire Night 2021.

The 59-year-old battled for her life in hospital but, sadly, died six weeks later.

In a moving tribute shortly after her death, Ms West’s family said "For six weeks, Katherine fought every step of the way, but unfortunately due to the horrific injuries she suffered, her battle came to an end and she gained her angel wings.

"We will forever remember her for her kind, caring, funny, crazy witty ways.

"She had the most wicked sense of humour, even to the end.

"Not just a great mum to our three amazing children, she was Mum to many more, and a loving nana to all her beautiful grandchildren.

"We will never forget you and your memory will live on through us all. RIP our beautiful angel. Fly high."

The charge of perverting the course of justice concerns an allegation that the defendant repaired collision damage to a Peugeot 3008 in the 12 days following the incident.

At Knowles's latest appearance before Wigan and Leigh magistrates, he was told that he will make a first appearance at Bolton Crown Court on March 1 for a pre-trial preparation hearing.

Formal pleas have yet to be entered.

In the meantime the defendant has been released on unconditional bail.

An 82-year-old man is facing a catalogue of Wigan child sex abuse accusations, some dating back more than half a century.

Trevor Bennett appeared before borough justices to hear 14 charges of historical sexual assault read out to the bench.

The hearing was told there are four complainants in all. One alleges four counts of indecent assault when she was under the age of 14 between October 1973 and December 1974.

The remaining charges bar one are of sexual touching of girls under the age of 13 between January 2009 and December 2012.

One of the complainants was aged between eight and 12 during those periods and has brought four charges of sexual touching plus one of assault by penetration; another was aged between six and 10 between those times and alleges she was molested twice, and the fourth complainant says she was abused three times between the ages of five and 11.

All the offences are alleged to have been committed in Wigan.

Bennett, of Bridgewater Road, Mosley Common, near Leigh, has yet to enter a plea formally although the court was told he has indicated that he will deny the charges.

Because of the severity of the allegations, the case was immediately sent to Bolton Crown Court where he will make his first appearance before a judge on March 8.

Before then he has been released on unconditional bail.

A Wigan woman has been accused of being a serial flytipper.

Anne Marie Liptrot, 42, of Beech Tree Houses in Bamfurlong appeared before borough justices to face four charges of dumping household waste behind her home.

The hearing was told that the alleged offences happened between February 2020 and May 2022 and that in December 2021 she failed to comply with a community protection notice relating to the littering.

Over the course of the 22 months when the offences were allegedly committed, the court was told, a total of 34 bags and black bin bags of rubbish were spotted containing items such as plastic storage boxes, cardboard boxes, a broken chair and clothing.

The charges say that there was no waste management licence in place to authorise this flytipping.

The case was adjourned until February 17 when Liptrot will enter her pleas.

In the meantime she is on unconditional bail.

A Wigan man who smashed a hotel's bank card reader has been given a conditional discharge.

Borough magistrates heard that Neil Masters, 37, of Lee Street in Wigan, caused £4,000 damage to the Proximity swipe payment device at a Premier Inn in Ormskirk on November 22 last year.

As well as the 12-month discharge, his punishment also includes paying £360 in compensation.

A 13-year-old Wigan schoolboy has denied vandalising a shopping centre that is now being demolished.

The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before the borough's youth court to enter a not guilty plea to causing £100 in damage to ceiling tiles in a stairwell at The Galleries in March 2022.

The mall is currently being razed for a new leisure, hospitality, retail and accommodation development.

The youngster was remanded on unconditional bail until March 30 when he will appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court.

He is on unconditional bail until then.