From a man throwing a cat into oncoming traffic to an angry pub singer getting riled by equipment thieves, September in Blackburn Magistrates' Court was anything but quiet.

Criminals from across East Lancashire were brought to justice for a plethora of offences last month, some of which included a shoplifter who went on a £500 Jack Daniels and vodka stealing spree, and a drunken man attacking people at a wake.

Here, we've brought you a round up of the 27 offenders who appeared before magistrats in September.

Rage of Blackburn man who found out he wasn’t baby’s dad

A visit to hospital for a first baby scan ended in violence when the dates didn't tally.

Blackburn magistrates heard Matthew Darren Jackson realised the baby wasn't his and turned on his partner, eventually biting her on the arm.

Jackson, 27, of Meadow Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner, causing damage to her front door and assaulting an emergency worker on separate occasions.

Full story here: Rage of Blackburn man who found out he wasn’t baby’s dad

Successful businessman was drugged up feeding ducks with child in Burnley park

A man whose company had a turnover of £2.1million last year has appeared in court charged with child neglect.

Blackburn magistrates heard Ben Blackburn had built the business despite an addiction to ketamine which started while he was at university.

The court heard Blackburn had taken the drug before taking the child to feed the ducks in Thompson Park.

Full story here: Successful businessman was drugged up feeding ducks with child in Burnley park

Garage boss paid ransom for return of prized parrot

The owner of a prized parrot launched a bird hunt after his pet was stolen in a sneak in burglary.

Javed Akhtar eventually paid a £250 ransom for the return of Rocky the Amazon parrot.

Blackburn magistrates heard Terence Paul Johnston who was responsible for stealing Rocky claimed he had felt guilty and had arranged for the bird to be returned.

But Mr Akhtar said, after the hearing, he had been approached by a man who claimed he had paid Johnston £200 for the bird.

Full story here: Garage boss paid ransom for return of prized parrot

Violent partner from Pendle also hit three-year-old girl during attacks

A woman was knocked unconscious during a brutal attack by her partner.

Blackburn magistrates heard that three months later, when Benn Williams was her ex-partner, he walked into her house and attacked her again.

During the second incident he threw a punch which missed the intended target but hit a three-year-old girl in the face.

Full story here: Violent partner from Pendle also hit three-year-old girl during attacks

Man threatens to kill police 10 years on from Dale Cregan murders

A man who phoned police and made threats towards them and members of the public referenced 'cop killer' Dale Cregan in a terrifying phone call.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard the comments came on the 10th anniversary of the murder of two female officers who were gunned down by Cregan in cold blood.

They had attended what they thought was a routine report of a burglary, but as they approached the front door of a maisonette in Mottram, Cregan burst out of the house armed with a Glock pistol.

Full story here: Man threatens to kill police 10 years on from Dale Cregan murders

Couple assaulted and subjected to barrage of racial abuse

A couple who had taken their camper van into a garage for repairs were confronted by a man shouting racist abuse

Blackburn magistrates heard Shoayb Patel was screaming that they shouldn’t be there because it was a Muslim area.

He told the garage owner he shouldn’t be doing work for them for the same reason.

He ended up assaulting both Steven Butterworth and his partner Shauna Gallinagh who described the whole incident as “terrifying.”

Full story here: Couple assaulted and subjected to barrage of racial abuse

Building firm boss cheated out of £18k by Church woman

A woman working in a position of trust for a building contractor systematically stole more than £18,000, a court has heard.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court was told how Catherine Wiggins set up a bogus bank account and regularly paid money into it which she then pocketed between 2017 and 2019.

Wiggins, 35, of Lincoln Court, Church, pleaded guilty to theft by employee of £18,852 belonging to Alan Duffy.

Full story here: Building firm boss cheated out of £18k by Church woman

Kebab shop attack victim smacked head on counter after slap from behind

A man waiting for his late-night takeaway was slapped on the back of the head as he stood at the counter.

Blackburn magistrates watched CCTV footage from inside Sambul's kebab house in Burnley which showed the victim's face strike the counter as a result of the blow.

Two men then disappeared from view before the assailant, Michael White, was ushered from the shop by his partner.

Full story here: Kebab shop attack victim smacked head on counter after slap from behind

Drink driver who crashed into field told police 'friend' was to blame

A MAN who had crashed his car through a wall and into a lower level field told police his friend had been driving and had run off.

Blackburn magistrates heard Scott Hill was detained after failing a roadside breath test and later admitted he had been behind the wheel.

Hill, 32, of Commercial Street, Rishton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was fined £415 with £166 victim surcharge and £85 costs and banned from driving for 18 months.

Full story here: Drink driver who crashed into field told police 'friend' was to blame

Swerving Audi driver suffered 'serious head injury' in arrest

A female passenger jumped out of a car as it was still moving and the driver tried to climb into the back seat after being followed onto a car park by police.

Blackburn magistrates heard Afzal Hussain, who was clearly intoxicated, later refused to provide a blood sample.

Full story here: Swerving Audi driver suffered 'serious head injury' in arrest

Thieving 'fool' raided Aldi, Home Bargains and Carers Link

A habitual offender was told he had been a "fool to himself" by not taking advantage of the enormous amount of help being given to him.

Blackburn magistrates heard Frederick Sagar was receiving support from numerous agencies but had still committed two shop thefts and a burglary in order to fund his alcohol addiction.

Sagar, 51, of Burnley Road, Accrington, pleaded, guilty to stealing beef joints worth £66 from Aldi, air fresheners worth £55 from Home Bargains and burglary at the Carers Link charity shop on Blackburn Road, Accrington, with intent to steal.

Full story: Thieving 'fool' raided Aldi, Home Bargains and Carers Link

Angry pub singer tackled thief who had taken music equipment

A man who smashed a £1,000 shop window with a drain cover told police he wanted to go back to prison

Blackburn magistrates told Christian Carl Wheadon the offence, five days after he had been remanded on bail for a pre-sentence report, left them with no alternative but to grant his wish.

Wheadon, 34, of Pine Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to theft from a, vehicle, vehicle interference and criminal damage to a window belonging to Aldi.

Full story here: Angry pub singer tackled thief who had taken music equipment

Woman admits fly tipping in her own Blackburn street

A woman who was issued with a fixed penalty for a fly tipping offence failed to respond because she was in hospital being treated for cancer, a court has heard.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court was told how the failure to respond to the notice led to court proceedings beginning against Christine Horner.

As soon as she became aware of the action being taken against her by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, she handed herself in to the police who brought her to court rather than put her in a police cell.

Full story here: Woman admits fly tipping in her own Blackburn street

Police's three-mile pursuit of drugged-up BMW driver

Police who spotted a car making several high speed overtaking manoeuvres could not catch up with the vehicle for three miles.

Blackburn magistrates heard when they did stop the vehicle the officers could smell cannabis and the driver ultimately tested positive for that drug and the derivative of cocaine.

Full story here: Police's three-mile pursuit of drugged-up BMW driver

Homeless man spat on 'peacemaker' during Blackburn Mall security row

A homeless man spat on a woman who claimed she was acting as peacemaker as he was involved in a row with a security officer.

Blackburn magistrates heard Connor Wilkinson claimed the woman had in fact been shouting abuse and swearing at him and he had responded.

Wilkinson, 24, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to assaulting Shannon Clark

Full story here: Homeless man spat on 'peacemaker' during Blackburn Mall security row

Blackburn Morrisons shoplifter's £500 gin, Jack Daniel's and vodka spree

A drug addict who moved from Plymouth to Blackburn in a bid for rehabilitation ended up being sent to prison.

Blackburn magistrates heard Thomas Michael Netherton committed numerous shoplifting offences and also failed to comply with a community order imposed for earlier offences.

Netherton, 34, of Hollin Bridge Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to seven charges of shoplifting and breach of a community order.

Full story here: Blackburn Morrisons shoplifter's £500 gin, Jack Daniel's and vodka spree

Rowing partner threw cat at oncoming traffic

A man threw his partner's cat at a moving car during a row.

Blackburn magistrates heard Callum Volter also assaulted his partner and her 17 year old son who confronted him.

Volter, 22, of Milton Avenue, Widnes, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to assaulting Cody Delaney causing him actual bodily harm, assaulting Stevie Delaney, causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and criminal damage to a television set.

Full story here: Rowing partner threw cat at oncoming traffic

Blackburn cafe raider stole charity collection tubs

A homeless man claimed he broke into a Methodist church to get his head down and not to steal.

Blackburn magistrates heard that a few days later Liam Robert Tomlinson broke into a cafe and this time stole cash from the till and charity tubs together worth £380.

Tomlinson, 35, of Pickup Street, Clayton-le-Moors, pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a door belonging to the Central Methodist Church, Burnley, and burglary at Spoilt4choice cafe, Blackburn, and theft of £380 cash.

Full story here: Blackburn cafe raider stole charity collection tubs

Accrington drug driver who gave fake name gets driving ban

A motorist who gave a false name to police later tested positive for two drugs and was also found to be a disqualified driver, a court has heard.

Blackburn Magistrates' Courrt was told how Afzal Ahmed's true identity wasn't discovered until his fingerprints were taken at the police station following the traffic stop.

Ahmed, 45, of St Leger Court, Accrington, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal limit for cannabis and the derivative of cocaine, driving while disqualified and without insurance, and obstructing a police officer acting in the execution of his duty.

Full story here: Accrington drug driver who gave fake name gets driving ban

Burnley brothers turned hostile at police drugs search bid

Two brothers became aggressive when police who had stopped them said they were going to carry out a drug search.

Blackburn magistrates heard a third brother joined them as police were already struggling to control the situation which had attracted a hostile crowd.

More officers arrived on the scene and the siblings were eventually arrested.

Full story here: Burnley brothers turned hostile at police drugs search bid

Banned drink-driver headbutted Blackburn police cell door

Police stopped a car after receiving a report it had been taken without consent.

Blackburn magistrates heard no charge arose from that but Glen Morley was found to be disqualified, driving without insurance and over the drink-drive limit.

Morley, 30, of Leatherland Drive, Whittle-le-Woods, pleaded guilty to all three charges and to damaging a police cell after his arrest. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Rafih Khan, prosecuting, said police stopped the car on Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, and immediately formed the opinion Morley was under the influence of drink or drugs.

Full story here: Banned drink-driver headbutted Blackburn police cell door

Drunken man attacked Pendle clubgoers after wake

A drunken man who had been at a wake kicked off with patrons of a Conservative club.

Blackburn magistrates watched CCTV footage which showed Benjamin Myers chasing one man around the snooker table and throwing punches at others.

One victim had a tooth knocked out after Myers caught him with a punch.

Myers, 39, of Kirkstall Drive, Barnoldswick, pleaded guilty to assaulting Paul Andrews causing him actual bodily harm.

Full story here: Drunken man attacked Pendle clubgoers after wake

Blackburn fire threat man set window sill alight

A man started a fire at his mother’s address and then rang his sister making comments about burning the house down

Blackburn magistrates heard his sibling called the emergency services and initially Nicky John McPhee refused to let them into the house.

McPhee, 28, of Morley Avenue, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to arson and criminal damage to a windscreen belonging to Shannon Grimes.

Full story here: Blackburn fire threat man set window sill alight

‘Viking pic’ provoked violent attack on partner in Blackburn

A man attacked his partner in the street in a row over money.

Blackburn magistrates heard Steven John McGuinness grabbed her bag and then repeatedly punched her to the head.

The owner of a nearby cafe came out and intervened and a woman from a hairdressers took the victim into her shop while they waited for the police.

McGuinness, 52, of Dunoon Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assault.

Full story here: ‘Viking pic’ provoked violent attack on partner in Blackburn

Blackburn man told to quit booze after assaulting brother

A tetchy relationship between two brothers who had lived together in the same house for 10 years became violent when one of them returned from the pub.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard how Craig Richardson attacked his brother and punched him repeatedly to the head and body.

The court was told the assault went on and on and only ended when Richardson ran out of steam and had to sit down.

Full story here: Blackburn man told to quit booze after assaulting brother

Banned motorist is halted on a hospice mercy dash

A disqualified driver got behind the wheel after receiving a call from the hospice about his terminally ill mother.

Blackburn magistrates heard Nico Carter was stopped by police and discovered to be disqualified.

When he was released he went straight to the hospice and arrived one and a half hours before his mother passed away.

Full story here: Banned motorist is halted on a hospice mercy dash

Music school raider hits flat note with Blackburn JPs

A trios who broke into a music school hit a flat note when they stole musical instruments and a TV worth £2,300.

Blackburn magistrates heard the first two men arrested in connection with the theft identified Craig Grant as their accomplice.

Full story here: Music school raider hits flat note with Blackburn JPs