From punch-ups in public to people making threats to kill, drug drivers to shoplifters - October in the magistrates was colourful.
There has been no shortage of criminals pass through East Lancashire's lower courts in recent weeks, some being sentenced and dealt with by magistrates, some needing the powers of the crown courts to administer justice.
Here, we bring you our monthly round-up of all the cases we covered at Blackburn Magistrates' Court last month.
Accrington woman's attack on trio at Eurovision Song Contest party
A fun Eurovision Song Contest event in Accrington’s market hall was turned into a public punch-up by a drunken woman.
Blackburn magistrates heard Josephine Clark took exception when she was refused admission to the event and ended up assaulting three males.
The court was told one was the official who refused her entry and another was having a day out with his family and had gone to assist the official.
The third was a 16-year-old boy who had been filming the incident on his phone and ended up being slapped across the face.
Full story here: Accrington woman's attack on trio at Eurovision Song Contest party
Darwen man threatens to kill neighbours and burn house down
A neighbour dispute came to a head in the early hours of the morning.
Blackburn magistrates heard Martin Bell was filmed by his neighbours as he threatened to burn their house down and saying he would kill them.
The court was told that at the time of the incident there were four children in the neighbour's house.
Bell, 38, of Sandringham Road, Darwen, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour. He was fined £400 with £85 costs and £160 victim surcharge.
District Judge Alexandra Preston passed sentence after reading a pre-prepared statement from Bell.
Full story here: Darwen man threatens to kill neighbours and burn house down
Haslingden man hit partner and kicked door in drunken rage
A man who got "blind drunk" following a row with his partner ended up assaulting her.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard how Damon McSloy fell over at the top of the stairs, and when his partner went to see what was happening he was bleeding from a cut above his eye.
She went to help him and he lashed out, catching her in the face, before he slipped back down the stairs.
McSloy, 35, of West View, Haslingden, pleaded guilty to assault and criminal damage to an bedroom door on January 15.
Full story here: Haslingden man hit partner and kicked door in drunken rage
Drug addict shoplifted and stole roof slate in Accrington
A man committed a string of shoplifting offences and was involved in the theft of roofing slates from a yard.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard all the offences were committed by Stephen Meakin to fund his drug use.
Meakin, 38, of no fixed address but from Accrington, pleaded guilty to nine charges of shoplifting from various stores in the Accrington area and theft of slates worth £1,500.
He was jailed for 10 weeks and ordered to pay £154 victim surcharge on release.
Full story here: Drug addict shoplifted and stole roof slate in Accrington
Nelson heroin user stole £3,000 of cosmetics from Boots
A woman who stole £3,000 worth of cosmetics from Boots returned a week later and repeated the offence.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court was told that when she returned to the Blackburn store another week later Olga Jankovskaja was spotted and detained.
Jankovskaja, 38, of Temple Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to two charges of theft from Boots, one attempted theft from the same store and possession of heroin.
She also pleaded guilty to stealing assorted goods worth £225 from Marks and Spencer, Skipton.
Full story here: Nelson heroin user stole £3,000 of cosmetics from Boots
Man, 20, abusive and aggressive towards police in Accrington
A man caused a disturbance at the Probation Service offices in Accrington.
Blackburn magistrates heard that when police attended at the Globe Centre, Isaac Kendall was abusive and aggressive towards them.
Kendall, 20, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour.
He was fined £80 which was deemed paid because he had spent more than 24 hours in custody for a non-imprisonable offence.
Full story here: Man, 20, abusive and aggressive towards police in Accrington
Uninsured driver reached speeds of 80mph in 30mph zone
An uninsured driver "panicked" when he saw a police car in the early hours of the morning.
Blackburn magistrates heard David Johnson raced off, reaching speeds of 80mph in 30mph zones including Gannow Lane, Padiham Road and Lowerhouse Lane in Burnley.
Johnson, 39, of Ellis Street, Barnoldswick, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to complete 15 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 200 hours unpaid work and pay £154 victim surcharge and £84 costs. He was banned from driving for two years.
Full story here: Uninsured driver reached speeds of 80mph in 30mph zone
Special constable attacked trying to calm couple arguing
A special constable who tried to calm a couple who were arguing on the street was immediately attacked.
Blackburn magistrates heard David Street lunged at the officer and punched him through the open window of his car.
Street, 41, of Thistle Manor, Edisford Road, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker. He was made subject to a community order for 12 weeks with a curfew between 8 pm and 7am for the same period. He was ordered to pay £200 compensation to the special constable.
Full story here: Special constable attacked trying to calm couple arguing
Accrington driver trying to evade police crashed into house
A driver who sped off in an attempt to evade the police caused damage to his own Mercedes and two other cars before colliding with a house.
Blackburn magistrates heard one of the cars hit by Mark Walsh was flipped on its roof and the passenger in that vehicle had to be rescued by the fire service.
Walsh, 44, of Westwood Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop when required by a police officer, driving without insurance and other than in accordance with a licence. He was committed on bail to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced on November 16.
Full story here: Accrington driver trying to evade police crashed into house
Police officers caught woman smoking joint while driving
A drug driver was caught in the act by two police officers on patrol.
Blackburn magistrates heard Rachael Pollitt was stopped at traffic lights and the officers smelled cannabis coming from her car. They investigated and found she was smoking a joint while driving.
Pollitt, 32, of Stevenson Street East, Accrington, admitted to drug driving. She was fined £120 with £85 costs. She was banned from driving for 18 months.
Full story here: Police officers caught woman smoking joint while driving
Bacup benefit fraud man received £17k he wasn't entitled to
A man who was forced into a benefits fraud because of drug debts continued with the deception after his debts had been paid.
Blackburn magistrates heard that over a 30-month period Stephen Cashinella was paid £17,000 he wasn’t entitled to.
Cashinella, 34, of Anderson Drive, Bacup, pleaded guilty to 12 charges of retaining a wrongful credit.
Full story here: Bacup benefit fraud man received £17k he wasn't entitled to
Blackburn man stole mum's bank card and cash from sister
A man who stole his mum’s bank card and cash from his sister to fund his alcohol addiction.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Liam Thompson used the card to make numerous purchases before the theft was discovered.
Thompson, 35, of Fairhaven Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft of £10 from his sister and a bank card belonging to his mother, seven charges of fraudulent use of the card and theft of steaks from Iceland.
Full story here: Blackburn man stole mum's bank card and cash from sister
Sex attacker Najaf Khan back in court after Pakistan trip
A convicted sex offender who left the UK for a funeral in Pakistan without telling police has been hauled before the courts.
Blackburn magistrates heard as a result of his six months absence, Najaf Khan had run up three breaches of the sex offender register requirements.
Khan, 41, of Stanley Street, Nelson, admitted to failing to comply with notification requirements.
He was given a 12-month community order with a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement, £120 fined £120 and £85 costs.
Full story here: Sex attacker Najaf Khan back in court after Pakistan trip
Teen sentenced as judge blasts justice system delays
A district judge has demanded to know why it took nearly two years to bring a youth before the courts for an offensive weapon offence.
District Judge Alexandra Preston said there were good reasons for youths being dealt with differently to adults and the delay in the case of Jayed Grundy had denied him that.
“Why on earth has it taken two years to reach court?” she asked.
Henry Prescott, prosecuting, said he didn’t have an explanation for the delay.
“The only thing I can do is send a message to the police indicating your displeasure and asking for an explanation,” said Mr Prescott.
Full story here: Teen sentenced as judge blasts justice system delays
Porn obsessed sex offender told to get help or face prison
A convicted sex offender failed to register an online username with police has been told to get help or face prison time.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard the account was discovered when officers went to Andrew Harper’s home to carry out a routine compliance visit in September 2022.
Examination of a device showed he had been using the account to access online pornography and District Judge Alexandra Preston said he clearly had “an unhealthy obsession with online pornography.”
Full story here: Porn obsessed sex offender told to get help or face prison
Padiham man punched officer in face and kicked another
A man involved in a late night disturbance lashed out at police officers as they arrested him.
Blackburn magistrates heard Corey Ball punched one officer in the face and kicked another on the leg as he was being placed in a van.
Ball, 18, of Spenser Street, Padiham, admitted to two charges of assaulting an emergency worker.
Full story here: Padiham man punched officer in face and kicked another
Bogus benefits man claimed almost £4,000 in false claims
A man who allowed his details to be used for bogus benefits claims was addicted to drugs and in debt at the time.
Blackburn magistrates heard since then Tyler Ross Greenwood had turned his life around and was full of remorse.
Greenwood, 25, of Hayhead Avenue, Waterfoot, admitted to three charges of retaining a wrongful credit.
Full story here: Bogus benefits man claimed almost £4,000 in false claims
Lidl and M&S Blackburn shoplifter spat in man's face
A shoplifter who assaulted a female store assistant who tried to stop him leaving the shop has been sent to crown court due to the severity of his offending.
Blackburn magistrates heard when the store manager intervened Sean Clarke spat in his face.
Clarke, 32, of Stonyhurst Road, Blackburn, admitted to theft of alcohol worth £33 from Lidl and two charges of assault.
He also pleaded guilty to theft of alcohol from Marks & Spencer and breach of a criminal behaviour order by entering that store.
Full story here: Lidl and M&S Blackburn shoplifter spat in man's face
Great Harwood man had large knife when stopped by police
A man challenged by police because he smelled of cannabis had a large Gurkha knife tucked in his waist band.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard the weapon was spotted as Isaiah Weekes struggled with an officer who was trying to detain him on August 8.
Weekes, 18, of Milton Close, Great Harwood, pleaded guilty to possessing a large curved knife in Queen Street, Great Harwood, and assaulting an emergency worker.
Full story here: Great Harwood man had large knife when stopped by police
Rishton woman caught driving twice the drink drive limit
A woman who drove home from a friend’s house after receiving a call to say her mum was not well was over the drink drive limit.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court was told how police attention was drawn to the Ford Kuga being driven by Melanie Rickaby because she was hogging the middle lane on the M65 when the inside lane was clear.
Middle lane hogging itself is a traffic offence under careless driving legislation, and police can pull drivers over and issue them with three points on their licence or a £100 on the spot fine.
Full story here: Rishton woman caught driving twice the drink drive limit
Violent man sentenced over Burnley night out punch
A man enjoying a night out with friends in Burnley town centre was knocked unconscious.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court watched CCTV coverage of the incident which showed John McParland run at the victim, who was walking backwards, and punch him in the face.
District Judge Alexandra Preston told McParland she had dealt with similar situations where people had suffered extremely serious injuries.
“You can be thankful that he did not suffer serious injuries,” said District Judge Preston.
Full story here: Violent man sentenced over Burnley night out punch
Burglar and thief caught in the act in Burnley gift shop
A beauty salon worker turned detective after her bag was stolen from the shop where she works.
Blackburn magistrates heard the victim scoured CCTV from nearby shops and was able pick up Joshua Whalley carrying her bag.
Whalley was later arrested but none of the property stolen was recovered.
Whalley, 24, of Parkinson Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to theft of the bag, worth £300, which contained a £1,200 iPhone, AirPods, cash and bank cards, and also admitted fraudulent use of the cards on two occasions.
Full story here: Burglar and thief caught in the act in Burnley gift shop
Drink driver 'swapped seats' after Blackburn police stop
A woman who climbed into the driver’s seat of a car out of “misguided” loyalty to a friend has been slapped with a fine
Blackburn magistrates heard when police approached the vehicle in St Paul's Street, Blackburn, on August 24, Leah Volkert was behind the wheel and the engine was running.
She failed a roadside breath test, blowing 52 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35mcg.
Volkert, 23, of Holmbrook Close, Blackburn, admitted to being in charge of a vehicle while over the alcohol limit and, on a separate occasion, being drunk and disorderly.
Full story here: Drink driver 'swapped seats' after Blackburn police stop
Accrington man admits breaching court order on ex-partner
A man breached a non-molestation order by speaking to his ex-partner’s mum when he bumped into her on the street.
Blackburn magistrates heard Liaqat Ali asked the mum to speak to her daughter and ask her to stop ongoing proceedings.
The court heard the woman is scared of leaving her house in case she bumps into Ali, and also that he may turn up at her house.
Ali, 55, of Steiner Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to breach of a non-molestation order, with his solicitor telling the court his client did not understand the scope of the order.
Full story here: Accrington man admits breaching court order on ex-partner
Dog bite horror for girl after whippet gets free
A nine-year-old girl was bitten on the face by a dog which had escaped from the control of its owner.
Blackburn magistrates heard the girl was left with scars on her forehead and cheek after being attacked by the collie cross whippet.
The dog’s owner, Simon Payne, admitted losing control of the dog after it was “spooked” despite it being on a lead.
Payne, 41, of Grasmere Close, Huncoat, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control.
Full story here: Dog bite horror for girl after whippet gets free
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