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 Wigan 13-year-old is to face a vandalism trial after an admission U-turn.

The teenager, who cannot be identified, had initially admitted to causing £100 damage to ceiling tiles belonging to Prime Commercial Properties, namely at the then closed Galleries shopping centre in Wigan on March 2 last year.

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But he has since withdrawn that plea and is now denying the accusation.

Wigan and Leigh courtWigan and Leigh court
Wigan and Leigh court

He appeared before Manchester and Salford magistrates to be told that his next appearance there would be on May 27 and he was released on unconditional bail.

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An emotional Wigan mum has spoken of her “joy and relief” after being cleared of biting a police officer in a pandemic row over not wearing a face mask.

Being known only as Leanne from Ashton-in-Makerfield, she says she was handcuffed and manhandled in front of her autistic son then put in a police cell for two days after being arrested and later charged with assaulting an emergency worker.

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She denied inflicting any injuries on the arresting officer and said she was never given the chance to show her medical exemption card which would have avoided the incident and case in the first place.

She entered a not guilty plea and even before the case could get to trial at Liverpool Crown Court, the prosecution offered no evidence. The defendant was told by the judge that she was not guilty and was free to go.

It had been alleged Ms Gedman attacked the officer who challenged her over not wearing a facemask in the Wilko store on Market Street in St Helens.

This was on February 2 2021, when anti-Covid restrictions were very tough.

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In an interview with the Wigan Observer she said the case had brought her nothing but misery.

She added: "It is good to know that the truth has come out. CCTV footage proved that I didn't harm anyone.

"I suffer from acute anxiety and a mask on my face restricts my breathing and can bring on panic attacks.

"I took – and take Covid – very seriously. My mum died from it for goodness sake. I wasn’t making some conspiracy theorist stand – I had good medical reasons not to wear a mask.

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"I had a card but the strap had broken so it wasn’t on view.

"The officer didn’t give me a chance to retrieve it before snapping the cuffs on and manhandling me.

"And all this was in a large store in front of my autistic son.

"It was highly distressing and embarrassing.

"I was kept in a cell at Copy Lane police station for two nights too.

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"I have never broken the law or thought ill of the police. "After it was reported that I had been arrested, even though I wasn’t identified, the case attracted a lot of hate-filled comments towards me.

"I am just glad it has all been sorted now. I am feeling joy and relief.”

Merseyside Police were approached for a comment but declined to give one.

Magistrates have heard harrowing details of a 15-year-old boy convicted of 11 counts of various forms of sexual assault against a nine-year-old girl.

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The teenager from Skelmersdale, who cannot be named for legal reasons, attended Lancashire Youth Court, sitting at Preston Magistrates’ Courts, on April 18 faced with 11 molestation counts against the youngster.

The offences, which included intentional sexual touching, took place between July 1 2021 and January 14 2022 in Burnley, and breached various sections of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

He was charged with a string of sex offences against the young girl – including one in which he groped the youngster during a game of sleeping lions.

He had denied all the charges – which included carrying out a series of lewd acts – but was found guilty at an earlier hearing.

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The bench handed him a Youth Rehabilitation Order with intensive supervision and surveillance.

The defendant must comply with a daily 7pm to 7am curfew requirement with electronic monitoring for three months.

The teenager was also ordered to remain at a named location during the hour of the court mandated curfew.

He must also attend a Harmful Sexual Intervention Programme at another named venue as directed by the court for 91 days, and register with police in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act 2003 from April 18 for 30 months, namely Skelmersdale Police station.

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Two teenagers charged with the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have made a fresh appearance before a crown court judge.

The pair – a boy from Leigh and a girl from Warrington, both aged 15 – appeared at Liverpool Crown Court and were not required to enter pleas to the charge.

Brianna, from Birchwood in Warrington, was found by members of the public as she lay with fatal stab wounds on a path at Culcheth Linear Park at around 3.15pm on Saturday February 11.

Prosecutors later told the courts that Brianna’s death was “extremely brutal and punishing”.

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Cheshire Police are exploring whether the teenager, who was a transgender girl, was the victim of a hate crime.

The pair were both remanded into custody until they make another appearance at the court on May 11.

A driver caught travelling at more than 100mph on the motorway has been given a hefty bill.

Daniel Vickers, 36, of Alderbrook Drive, Parbold, admitted driving at 106mph on the M62 westbound, between junctions 12 and 11, exceeding the 70mph speed limit.

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He was behind the wheel of a Tesla when he broke the speed limit on June 9.

He was ordered to pay a £666 fine, £90 costs and £67 victim surcharge, while his driving licence was endorsed with six points.