Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Thursday, July 26, 2018

Jeremy Dyer, 33, and Aimee Durham, 24, affray

An argument over a puppy led to an affray in a Blackpool street.

Jeremy Dyer claimed the puppy he had sold was not being looked after properly and his partner Aimee Durham snatched it back.

The couple then armed themselves - Dyer with a circular knife and Durham with a piece of wood with nails in it.

The man who had bought the puppy was then menaced with the knife and hit with the wood in front of his five-year-old son.

Dyer, 33, and Durham, 24, both of Bond Street, South Shore, each pleaded guilty to affray, assault, and possessing a blade or weapon in public, Durham also admitted stealing a puppy.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, told magistrates that the victim said Dyer had sold him a puppy for £80 but on July 6 at 8.45am Dyer came to his home saying he was not happy with how the puppy was being looked after as the victim was at work all day. The victim said the puppy was left food and water and was in very good health. He added he suspected Dyer wanted the puppy because he had sold it to other people.

The victim was with his son on Montague Street car park and Dyer took the dog. The victim grabbed it back saying the puppy was his son’s.

In the melee that followed the puppy was stolen and the victim received three cuts to his hand.

The defendants were bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court for sentence on August 22 by Blackpool magistrates.

Stuart Clarkson, 46, absconding from prison

A man accused of escaping from Kirkham Prison has made his first appearance at court.

Stuart Clarkson, 46, of Clarendon Road, Lancaster, is alleged to have climbed over a fence at the Kirkham jail on July 22 and been apprehended by a police dog and handler nearby.

Clarkson was remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on August 22.

Joseph Fox, 52, interfering with a vehicle

A man allegedly found in the back of a transit van has been banned from entering Blackpool.

Joseph Fox, 52, of Skevington Road, Preston, pleaded not guilty to interfering with a motor vehicle.

He was bailed to October 17 for trial.

Fox must not enter the resort except to attend court on the date of his trial and must report to police three times a week as conditions of his bail.

Paul Sproat, 32, interfering with a motor vehicle

A man was described by a senior magistrate as “a menace to the community.”

Paul Sproat was apprehended after a woman saw him messing about with her neighbour’s car.

Sproat, 32, of Richmond Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to interfering with a motor vehicle and breaching a conditional discharge for theft of aftershave.He was sentenced to a 12 weeks

curfew from 8pm to 7am and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge.Presiding magistrate, David Hearton, described Sproat as a menace to the community and told him: “hopefully the curfew will keep you off the streets at night.”

Prosecutor, Andrew Robinson, said a woman pulled up next to her neighbour’s driveway and saw Sproat trying the car handles and the boot lid of the neighbour’s Audi on July 21 about 10.30pm.

At the time of the offence Sproat was on licence from prison. David Charnely, defending, said:”When interviewed Sproat told police he was out of it, having drunk six cans and had some crack cocaine.”

Lynn Marais, 39, breaching post prison sentence supervision

A woman who had been released from jail failed to keep appointments with her probation officer when her mother died.

Lynn Marais,39, formerly of Carshalton Road, North Shore, now living in Osborne Road, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to breaching her post prison sentence supervision. She was fined £50 but after Blackpool magistrates heard she had spent the last two-and-a-half days in the cells after being arrested they said time she had spent in custody would serve instead of the fine.

Charmain Price, prosecuting for the probation service, said Marais had been sentenced previously to 12 weeks jail for breaching a suspended jail sentence imposed for shoplifting.

She was released on April 4 but failed to attend the induction appointment with her probation officer and subsequent appointments she was asked to attend.

Officials who visited the Blackpool address she had given were told she had not lived there for some time.Howard Green, defending, said in May Marais’ mother had died and she returned to Liverpool where her mum had lived and then started living there at her sister’s home.

She had not told the probation service she could not live at the address in Carshalton Road.