Wigan's week in court

A Wigan man given a community order after being caught with two types of class A drugs has been handed a new sentence.

Mark Seddon, 41, of Greenhey, Orrell, was convicted in March of possessing crack cocaine and diamorphine.

Magistrates imposed a community order, but Seddon has now admitted breaching that by failing to attend planned appointments.

The order was revoked and he was instead given two four-week prison sentences, suspended for 12 months.

Seddon must also comply with 12 months of supervision, with a drug treatment requirement and 20 days of rehabilitation activities.

The long-running case of Wigan town centre shop accused of selling counterfeit tobacco has been delayed again.

The Euro Shop, on Wallgate, faces a total of nine charges which largely cover the alleged sale of fake versions of famous brands of cigarettes, namely Benson and Hedges, Richmond, Lambert and Butler, Amber Leaf, Mayfair and Marlboro in August and September, 2021.

Wigan magistrates granted a prosecution request to delay the case further and it is now scheduled to be heard on June 16.

The case of a Wigan lettings firm which faces 15 charges of fraud relating to the handling of deposits worth thousands of pounds has been sent to the crown court.

Let Me Lettings, on Winstanley Road, Orrell, is accused of falsely claiming deposits were being held in a deposit protection scheme and other related offences involving disputes between tenants and landlords.

The offences are alleged to have happened between August 2016 and June 2019 and involved properties in Wigan and Skelmersdale.

Linda Murray, 39, of Ellerthwaite Road, Windermere, also faces 14 charges of fraud relating to the deposits.

The charges relate to fraud by false representation regarding deposits of various amounts, ranging from £450 to £1,050.

Wigan magistrates directed there should be a trial by jury and the case was sent to Bolton Crown Court, where it will be heard on July 6.

The trial of a 58-year-old Wigan woman who denies harassing and abusing four people - one of them twice - has been scheduled for later this year.

Margaret Armstrong, of Conway Drive, Aspull, has previously appeared in the dock to plead not guilty to charges of using threatening or insulting behaviour against Rita Seddon, Christopher McVeigh and Sharon Green on January 27, harassing Nicola Newlove the following day and then Ms Seddon again on February 3 last year.

A trial will be held at Bolton Magistrates' Court on October 25 and she was remanded on unconditional bail until then.

A woman who admitted damaging two windows on a car has been given a conditional discharge for 12 months.

Nicola Bullen, 41, of Enstone, Skelmersdale, was also ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and £26 victim surcharge.

A man who pleaded guilty to trespassing in a fellow resident's room at Leigh Homeless Hub has been sentenced.

Paul Roberts, 49, of no fixed address, was given a 12-month community order with 15 days of rehabilitation activities.

He must pay £114 to fund victim services and a £80 fine.

A Wigan man who failed to buy a £4.90 train ticket has been left with a bill of more than £460.

Neil Eddison, 42, of Orchard Street, Wigan, has been convicted of travelling between Manchester Oxford Road and Irlam railway stations on December 20 and failing to produce a ticket showing he had paid the fare.

He was given a penalty fare notice to pay either £20 or double the fare, whichever was greater, but did not respond to Northern Rail.

Bolton magistrates ordered him to pay a fine of £220, costs of £150, an £88 victim surcharge and £4.90 compensation – a total of £462.90.

Meanwhile, Jordan Hulme, 25, of Eltham Close, Ashton, has been accused of travelling between Newton and Manchester Piccadilly on December 21 without paying the £7.70 fare.

His case was adjourned by Bolton justices and will be heard at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Friday, June 16.

A Wigan man continues to be remanded on bail, after an allegation that he broke one of the conditions was not proved.

It was claimed that Alan Fawcett, 52, of Warrington Road, Ince, went within a mile of a property in Higher Ince on June 3, which he was prohibited from doing.

But Wigan justices found the case was not proven and allowed him to remain on bail. He is charged with illegal money lending between February 2021 and April 2023, assaulting a man on April 1 and threatening a witness in court proceedings.

Fawcett is due to appear before Bolton Crown Court on June 16.

He was remanded on bail with conditions which include not going within one mile of that same address, not contacting several named people and sleeping at his home address.

A Wigan man who smashed a hotel's bank card reader has been further punished after breaching a conditional discharge.

Earlier this year Neil Masters, 38, of Leigh Street, caused £4,000 damage to a Proximity swipe payment device at a Premier Inn in Ormskirk on November 22 last year.

He was given a 12-month discharge and ordered to pay £360 in compensation.

But now he has been back in court to admit committing a further offence while subject to the discharge and so was ordered to complete a 19-day Thinking Skills course and 25 days of rehabilitation activities.