Wigan's week in court

A Wigan man who denies being a drug dealer has had his trial delayed until next year.

Connor Davenport, 23, of Poolstock Lane, Worsley Mesnes, first stood before justices early last year to plead not guilty to possession of cocaine, cannabis and the horse tranquillizer ketamine with intent to supply them on May 25 2019.

Since then his case at Bolton Crown Court and now Manchester Crown Court has been delayed several times and at the latest hearing it was decided that there was no court time until it could take place on January 15 next year.

Until then he remains on unconditional bail.

A man accused of murdering a Skelmersdale schoolboy has appeared before a judge again.

Dylan Bragger, 15, was pronounced dead after officers were called to reports of a stabbing in Digmoor Road at around 9pm on Thursday June 29 this year.

Felipe Figueiredo, 28, of Birleywood, Skelmersdale, was later charged with murder and at a Preston Crown Court hearing earlier this month he entered a not guilty plea to the single charge.

A trial date has been confirmed for January 12 next year.

Another pre-trial review is, however, scheduled to take place on October 13.

Following the youngster’s death, relatives described him as a “gentle giant” with a “heart of gold” who was “working towards becoming a car mechanic and had his whole life ahead of him”.

A Wigan man is awaiting his fate after admitting to animal cruelty offences.

David Farrimond, 46, of Chatsworth Avenue, Ince, entered guilty pleas to two neglect charges of a pet dog on his latest appearance before borough justices.

They involved causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and failing to keep her in an hygienic and hazard-free environment.

The hearing was told that Farrimond did not ensure that the dog, called Bella, was provided with timely and appropriate veterinary care for the causes of its weight loss, an eye infection and/or a tumour between February 7 and 21 this year.

He was released on unconditional bail until he returns to the court on October 2 for sentencing, before which time reports will be prepared.

A Wigan borough 56-year-old has denied repeatedly sending threatening texts to a woman.

Shaun Messenger, of Orchard Close, Leigh, appeared before borough magistrates to plead not guilty to a single charge of sending Deborah Taylor a series of menacing messages between April 28 and May 1 2020.

He is being prosecuted under the Malicious Communications Act.

Messenger was released on unconditional bail until he appears next at Bolton Magistrates' Court on November 24 for a trial.

A 44-year-old Wigan man has appeared before a judge to deny three child sex offence charges.

Gareth Vickers is accused of taking indecent (category B) images of a child in September 2021, the sexual assault of an under-13 that same month and distributing indecent (category B) images of a child in April 2022.

But due to a backlog in cases, the Bolton Crown Court trial – estimated to last three days – can only be scheduled to begin on March 24 2025.

He is bailed until then.

The trial of an 83-year-old man who denies a catalogue of Wigan child sex abuse accusations, some dating back more than half a century, has been confirmed for next year.

Trevor Bennett this week made his latest appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge who was told that a total of 14 charges of historical sexual assault have been brought against the pensioner.

And having now formally denied the accusations, he has a further eight months before a trial takes place.

The hearing was told that 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 concern a charge of sexual touching of girls under the age of 13 which are alleged to have happened 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 that she was sexually assaulted twice, and the fourth complainant says that she was molested three times between the ages of five and 11.

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

His trial has been scheduled for May 13 2024 before which time he is on bail.

A Wigan man is beginning a six-month prison stretch after admitting he had hard drugs and an offensive weapon.

Kevin Stubbs, of no fixed address, appeared before justices to plead guilty to possession of a bladed article and possession of class A drugs, on Miller’s Lane, Platt Bridge.

For this, along with court offences, he has received a six month custodial sentence.

A man who broke into a Wigan borough pub is beginning a six month prison sentence.

Scott Robinson, of Thompson House, Atherton, appeared in court to plead guilty to the burglary of The Red Lion on Church Street, Atherton and was given a 26-week custodial term.

A social media post on GMP Leigh, Atherton and Hindley said that the conviction followed an investigation by the Atherton and Tyldesley Neighbourhood Team with assistance from the Wigan Offender Management Unit.