Wigan's week in court

A man has admitted stealing bedding from the rear yard of Matalan at Robin Park in Wigan.

Darren Turner, 31, of no fixed address, will be sentenced at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court on January 25.

He was remanded on conditional bail.

A Wigan borough man has appeared in court accused of engaging in coercive or controlling behaviour.

Raymond Tucker, 42, of Belvedere Close, Leigh, is alleged to have repeatedly engaged in behaviour which was controlling or coercive between October 1 and December 17.

Allegations include that he refused to leave a woman's property, isolated her from friends and family, monitored use of her mobile phone and threatened to kill her.

Tucker will appear at Manchester Crown Court on January 22 and was remanded in custody until then.

A Wigan man is accused of trying to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Andrew Hunter, 31, of Park Road, is alleged to have tried to contact a boy under 16 between February 23 and March 6.

The case was sent to Bolton Crown Court, where he will appear on January 22.

He was remanded on unconditional bail.

A motorist has denied failing to cooperate with a roadside breath test and failing to provide a sample of breath for analysis.

Nicky Turner, 38, of Castleton Way, Winstanley, is alleged to have committed the offences in Wigan on May 9 and 10.

A trial will be held at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court on August 29.

A Wigan woman accused of making a false report to police has been cleared.

The prosecution did not offer any evidence against Lisa Gaskell, 42, of Holden Walk, Pemberton, and she was found to be not guilty.

A Wigan man is waiting to find out his punishment after admitting causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Peter Atherton, 59, of Redwood Avenue, Beech Hill, wounded a woman on October 28, 2022.

He will be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on January 15.

Atherton was remanded on unconditional bail.

A woman has been given a community order after pleading guilty to using violence to get into a building.

Marian Burueana, 40, of no fixed address, forced her way into a property on Thirlmere Street on November 19.

Justices imposed a 12-month community order with an alcohol treatment requirement, attendance on the Building Better Relationships programme and nine days of rehabilitation activities.

She must pay £114 compensation and £85 prosecution costs.

A Wigan borough man has admitted failing to comply with the requirements of the sex offenders' register.

Ian Rigby, 65, of Cosworth Close, Leigh, did not sign onto the register within the required time period.

He also pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order by using a computer or other device capable of accessing the internet.

Rigby will be sentenced at Manchester City Magistrates' Court on January 29.

He was remanded on unconditional bail.

A man has admitted stealing alcohol and headphones from a supermarket.

Mohammad Ghanbari, 33, of Railway Road, Leigh, has pleaded guilty to taking the items from Asda in Leigh on December 15.

He was due to be sentenced on January 15 at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court and was remanded on conditional bail.

A prosecution by Wigan Council’s trading standards has seen a local company director plead guilty to eight offences of fraud at Bolton Crown Court.

Linda Murray (previously known as Linda Vella), director of Let Me Lettings Ltd, Hewitt House, Winstanley Road, Orrell, was charged with eight counts of fraud under the Fraud Act 2006.

Her company charged landlords for a service which included managing their properties, and taking tenant deposits.

These deposits were meant to be held in the government authorised “Deposit Protection Service”, which keeps the money safe for tenants.

Murray pleaded guilty to not placing the money into that service, and misleading both landlords and tenants.

Trading standards received complaints from seven landlords, in relation to nine different properties, with over £6,000 lost due to the fraud.

Coun Dane Anderton, cabinet portfolio member for police, crime and civil contingencies, said “This Deposit Protection Service exists to protect tenants in rented properties, and landlords and residents that use letting agents for this service deserve to know that their deposits are being protected.

“Our trading standards team is always proactive in tackling illegal activity in our borough.

"Anyone wishing to report illegal activity to Trading Standards can ring in confidence 0808 223 1133 or [email protected].”

A Wigan private hire taxi driver has admitted to refusing to allow a guide dog into his vehicle.

St Helens Council’s licensing department filed a case against Florin-Constantin Caliman following a complaint by a member of the public.

Caliman of Alfred Street, Newtown, was prosecuted for failure to carry a disabled person who was accompanied by an assistance dog under the provisions of The Equality Act 2010.

After pleading guilty at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, he was ordered to pay an £80 fine, £120 in costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

A Leigh man is awaiting his fate after admitting that he kept more than £4,600 in benefits to which he wasn't entitled.

Gary Iddon, 36, of Bowden Green Drive, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to four charges of dishonestly failing to pay back wrongfully paid credits between 2019 and 2021.

He will be sentenced on January 17.

A young Wigan man has denied assaulting two people and stealing a car.

Bradley Martin, 26, of Oriel Street, Bickershaw, appeared before borough justices to plead not guilty to stealing a Vauxhall Mokka on August 23 and causing Rachel Graham and Brandon Kelleway actual bodily harm on the same day.

However the defendant has admitted to dangerous driving and driving without a licence and insurance on August 30.

The case was sent to Bolton Crown Court where Martin will appear before a judge on January 17.

A community punishment has been handed down to a Wigan man who admitted launching an assault.

Stuart Bullough, 37, of Butler Street, WIgan, stood before borough magistrates to plead guilty to causing Roy Smalley actual bodily harm.

He was ordered to complete an alcohol treatment programme and 10 days of rehabilitation activities while paying a £50 fine.

A Wigan 21-year-old has been accused of assaulting two people and criminal damage.

Chloe Smith, from Thirlmere Road, Hindley, appeared before justices charged with the common assault of Mia Heyes and Joshua Marsh and also causeing £700 damage to Ms Heyes' front door.

The case was adjourned until January 25.

A motorist has been jailed and banned from the road after admitting to dangerous driving.

Paul Seddon, 31, of Brookland Avenue, Hindley, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to driving a Honda Accord dangerously on Barnsley Street, Wigan, on March 14, 2023 and not having the correct insurance.

He was given a six month custodial sentence, magistrates saying he had a "flagrant disregard for people and their property."

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

A woman who launched an assault has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Lindsey Charlton, 46, of Langdale Road, Orrell, appeared before Wigan magistrates to plead guilty to causing Amanda Ahlgreen actual bodily harm on April 14, 2022.

She was given a six-month custodial sentence but it was suspended for 12 months.

She was also ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities and pay her victim £500 in compensation.

Two people have appeared in court accused of being concerned in the supply of cannabis between November 2020 and 2021.

Ashley Hughes, 31, of Broadway Hindley, and Matthew Smith, 30, of Botany Close, Aspull, are also charged with possessing the category B drug with intent to supply it.

The case was sent to be heard at Bolton Crown Court where they will first appear on January 17.

A Wigan 51-year-old has denied making a threatening phone call.

Garry Atkinson, of Churchfield, Shevington, appeared before local justices to plead not guilty to a charge under the Malicious Communications Act that he menaced Leon Back in a phone call on December 6, 2022.

He was bailed until a trial at the same court on September 3.

A man twice burgled Wigan's Pets at Home store, stealing a £16 dog harness during one of the break-ins, magistrates heard.

Darren Turner, 31, of Broom Road, Pemberton, pleaded guilty to the burglaries on December 10 and 12 and also to causing more than £5,000 damage to shutters at the Club 3000 bingo hall on October 22.

He will be sentenced on January 25. A woman has admitted having a knife in a public place.

Angela Gastall, 42, of Cross Street, Atherton, took the knife to Gadbury Fold in Atherton on March 27.

She will be sentenced at Manchester City Magistrates' Court on February 5 and was remanded on conditional bail.

The case of a Wigan borough man accused of assault and arson has been sent to the crown court.

David Miller, 48, of Bright Street, Leigh, is charged with assaulting Carl Hughes by beating him on December 23.

He is also charged with arson with intent to endanger life and arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered, after allegedly setting fire to several pieces of paper.

Miller was remanded in custody until a hearing at Bolton Crown Court on January 31. A Wigan man has appeared in court accused of threatening a woman with a machete on Christmas Eve.

The incident is alleged to have happened on Greenhey, Orrell.

Gary Tarbuck, 35, of Valiant Road, Marsh Green, was remanded in custody until a hearing at Manchester City Magistrates' Court later this month.

A Wigan borough man has pleaded guilty to strangling a woman on Christmas Day.

Derek Holmes, 38, of Opal Grove, Leigh, also admitted being in possession of class A drug cocaine.

He was released on conditional bail until a sentencing hearing at Bolton Crown Court on January 31.

A man has appeared in court charged with threatening another man with a metal bar.

It follows an alleged incident on Coral Grove, Leigh, on March 3.

David Mountford, 33, of Fell Street, Leigh, will appear at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court.

He was remanded on unconditional bail. A Wigan man who admitted carrying out an assault will find out his punishment in February.

William Judd, 47, of Bickershaw Lane, Bickershaw, pleaded guilty to assaulting a man by beating him on December 21.

He will be sentenced at Manchester City Magistrates' Court on February 7 and was remanded on conditional bail until then.

A 50-year-old Wigan man has been cleared of racially aggravated harassment but, after admitting to issuing threats, magistrates have decided that what he said was racist.

Edward Williams, of Crompton House, Scholes, appeared before borough justices to discover that no evidence would be offered by the prosecution regarding charges of harassment against Audrick Malemo at Manchester Victoria Railway Station on March 19, 2022, either racially aggravated or not.

But after pleading guilty to threatening Mr Malemo that day, the bench said that there was a racial element to what he said.

Williams also admitted to cocaine possession.

He was fined, ordered to pay his victim compensation and also contribute a victim services surcharge, the bill coming to £294.

A young Wigan man has been fined for breaching a non-molestation order by posting images of a named juvenile on the internet or social media.

John Kent, 25, of Closebrook Road, Norley, appeared before Manchester and Salford City magistrates to admit the breach over Christmas of an order imposed by the family courts in October.

He was fined and ordered to pay costs and a victim services surcharge which totalled £188.

A Wigan man has admitted to a domestic violence attack.

David Peet, 32, of Grange Road, Ashton, appeared before city magistrates to plead guilty to causing Jade Cunliffe actual bodily harm on September 27.

The case was adjourned until January 17 for the preparation of a pre-sentence report before which time Peet is on conditional bail.

A stalking charge has been brought against a 45-year-old Wigan man.

Singo Gavi of Rothwell Gardens, Golborne, stood before Manchester justices to face a single charge of stalking causing serious harm or distress to Rhiann Partington between July 1, 2022 and March 7, 2023 and that it included sending letters, making phone calls and leaving voicemails.

Gavi was released on conditional bail pending a first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on February 9.

A 49-year-old man has been accused of a £3,000 burglary.

Peter Kearsley, had been due to appear before Manchester magistrates charged with breaking into a family home's shed in Broadway, Hindley, last September 30 to steal a children's bike, tools and fishing tackle.

But the hearing was told the defendant was ill and so the hearing was adjourned to a date yet to be fixed.