Live: Today's cases from North Staffordshire Justice Centre as they happen

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The court has finished for the day.

Four-year ban for drink-driver

Magistrates have returned to court.
They have sentenced Farmer to eight weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and disqualified him from driving for 48 months. He must complete 180 hours unpaid work and the drink-impaired drivers programme, plus a nine-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Farmer must pay £135 court costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

Drink-driver is 'remorseful'

Robert Glenn, mitigating, said: “He turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism. He’s deeply remorseful and accepts what he did was entirely inappropriate and wrong.”
Magistrates have retired to consider how to sentence Farmer.

Drink-driving construction worker had been drinking rum

The bench will now deal with Wayne Farmer, who earlier pleaded guilty to drink driving.
A probation officer has told the court that Farmer, who works in the construction industry, admitted he had drunk rum before driving. He has a previous drink driving offence from 2013 - a time when he was going through a separation from his now ex-wife.

Burglar must pay compensation to butcher and barbers

Magistrates have returned to court. They have handed Lear a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He must complete a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Lear has been ordered to pay £200 compensation to the butcher’s shop and £50 to Curley’s Barbers, plus a £115 victim surcharge.

Burglar was a customer at the barbers and butchers

Hamish Noble, mitigating, said Lear had stayed out of trouble since 2010. Mr Noble said: “Things have obviously degenerated. Homelessness has been a factor. He suffers from anxiety and depression. Drug misuse was the chief motivator of these acquisitive offences. He is genuinely remorseful. He has been a customer at the barber’s and the butcher’s so feels particularly bad about those offences.”
Magistrates have retired to consider how to sentence Lear.

Burglar turned to heroin, crack and monkey dust

Magistrates will now return to the case of Stephen Lear, who earlier admitted burglary charges. They have been told by a probation officer that he has turned to drugs, including heroin, crack and monkey dust, since his relationship broke down in 2017.

Drink-driver, 78, was almost FIVE times the limit

The next case is Wayne Farmer, aged 78, of Newport Road, Shifnal. He has pleaded guilty to driving while over the alcohol limit at Darlaston on February 10. Because his alcohol reading was so high - 131 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath, against a legal limit of 35 - magistrates have ordered a pre-sentence report. The case has been put back until later.

Drink-driver went out to buy food at 4.15am

The court has heard police stopped Jones’ car in King Street at 4.15am and he was arrested. He later gave an alcohol reading of 86 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35.
Kate Preston, mitigating, said Jones is a pharmacy student at Wolverhampton University and had been to a fellow student’s 21st birthday party in Biddulph on the night before the offence. He had been to sleep before waking up in the early hours and going out to try to buy some food. Miss Preston said: “Because he hadn’t drunk since 11pm and he had been to sleep he didn’t appreciate he would be over the limit.”
Magistrates have fined Jones £120 and disqualified him from driving for 18 months, which will be reduced if he completes a drink drive rehabilitation course. He must pay £135 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Man, 21, admits drink-driving

Next up is Rhys Jones, aged 21, of Culvert Lane, Newton Abbot, Devon. He has pleaded guilty to driving while over the alcohol limit in King Street, Newcastle, on February 3.

Kidsgrove teenager accused of cannabis dealing

Next is Jordan Simpkin, aged 18, of Surrey Road, Kidsgrove.
He is charged with possessing the Class B drug cannabis with intent to supply on November 15. Magistrates have declined jurisdiction and the case has been sent to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where Simpkin will appear on March 29.

Police outside Metro Stores, in Hanley

Tunstall woman admits damaging Hanley shop

Next up is Natasha Woolley, aged 23, of Madeley Street, Tunstall. She has pleaded guilty to a number of offences.
She admits committing criminal damage at Leighton Hospital in Crewe on February 7, and assaulting two emergency workers - police officers - on the same date. She also pleaded guilty to two further charges of assault by beating on February 7.
Woolley pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage at Metro Store in Stafford Street, Hanley, on December 8 last year, and causing criminal damage to a cell at Chester Magistrates’ Court on November 15.
Robert Holt, mitigating, has asked magistrates to adjourn sentence to allow a report to be prepared on Woolley. The bench has agreed and Woolley’s case has been adjourned until March 21.

Defendant was mending the taser

Janice Sain-Reiners said Harrison had medical and behavioural problems and has no fixed address, but was staying at a shelter in Burslem. She said: “He is known for being able to mend things, He was given the broken taser by a friend who had asked him to mend it. He naively showed it to the worker at Brighter Futures. He did not intend to use it.”
Magistrates heard he had one previous conviction for assault, for which he received a conditional discharge - which he has now breached.
The bench has fined Harrison £80, and imposed a 12-month conditional discharge on the drugs possession offence. He must also pay £135 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Defendant caught with Taser in bag

Magistrates have been told a worker at Brighter Futures, in Hanley, saw Harrison and another man outside the premises at around 5pm. She spoke to Harrison who showed her inside his bag - where she saw a taser. Prosecutor Lynne Warrington said: “She asked if he had just shown her a taser. He laughed and said, ‘Yes’. He asked if she was going to grass on him.” Police were called and Harrison was arrested.

Man had a 'stun gun' in Hanley

Now before magistrates is Thomas Harrison, aged 29, formerly of Hope Street, Hanley.
He has pleaded guilty to possessing a ‘stun gun’ in Hanley in July and a further charge of possessing the Class B drug cannabis on the same date.

Two men charged with being drunk and disorderly at Stoke Station

The next case is Jordan Lewis, aged 33, of Maplewood Close, Manchester, and William Broadbent, aged 32, of Bottomley Side, Manchester. They are both charged with being drunk and disorderly at Stoke Railway Station on February 9. The court has heard applications will be made to impose football banning orders on both men.
The case has been adjourned until March 12 to allow them to arrange legal representation and liaise with their solicitors.

Burglar broke into butchers, bank and barbers

Prosecutor Lynne Warrington said Lear broke into Curly’s Barbers, in Newcastle, on February 7 and took the petty cash tin containing around £50. He then broke into the nearby Just Shop store but left without taking anything after the alarm sounded.
The other matters Lear has admitted are a burglary at Tony Price Butcher’s, in Newcastle, as well as an attempted burglary at the same premises, plus attempted burglaries at the Co-op Bank and Mobile Phone Extra, both in Newcastle.
Magistrates have decided they need a pre-sentence report and the case has been put back until later today.

Newcastle man, 41, admits burglaries

The bench will now deal with Stephen Lear, aged 41, of Greenside, Newcastle. He has pleaded guilty to charges of burglary and burglary with intent to steal. He has also admitted a further burglary and three attempted burglaries and he will be sentenced for these at the same time.

Motorist, 31, charged with drink-driving

Magistrates have adjourned the case of 31-year-old Daniel Shingler, who is charged with driving while over the alcohol limit in Wolstanton on December 15. He has not turned up at court.
Magistrates have been told the paperwork summoning Shingler to court was sent to an address in Station Walks, Halmerend, but his solicitors have a different address for him in East Lawns, Betley - therefore he may not know about the hearing. The case has been adjourned until March 7.

Shoplifter went thieving to fund her heroin addiction

Simon Dykes, mitigating, said Holmes had been stealing to fund her heroin addiction but was now on a methadone script. He said: “She has engaged with the support that is in place and her situation is now quite stable.” Magistrates have fined her £80, plus £135 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Aldi, in Kidsgrove

Woman went shoplifting in Aldi, Tesco and Asda

The court has heard Holmes was stopped at Tesco, in Kidsgrove, on October 14 after she took four bottles of Jack Daniels and left without paying. On November 15, she took alcohol from Aldi, in Kidsgrove, which was not recovered. She was identified through Staffordshire Police’s Facebook page and given a conditional caution - but is in court for all the matters because she committed a further offence on February 10, when she took cosmetics and meat from Asda, in Tunstall.

Goldenhill woman admits three shoplifting offences

The next case is Katie Holmes, aged 28, of Taylor Street, Goldenhill. She has pleaded guilty to three shoplifting offences.

'This was not a deliberate attempt to evade the police'

Simon Dykes, mitigating, said it ‘slipped Mr Lovat’s mind’ that he was due to register and it was not a deliberate attempt to evade the police. Mr Dykes added: “He acknowledges it is his responsibility to ensure he registers.”
Magistrates have fined Lovat £246, plus £135 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Sex offender failed to tell police where he was living

Magistrates have been told Lovat was convicted in 2010 of sexual activity with a child under 16. As a result, since his release from prison, he is required to register with police annually to confirm his details. Lovat was due to do this on November 21 but failed to attend. He went to the police station on November 29 after being contacted by the police.

Man, 39, breaches sex offender rules

Next up is Steve Lovat, aged 39, of Mucklestone Road, Market Drayton. He has pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements of the Sex Offenders Register on November 22.

'Refreshingly honest' drink-driver made a 'silly mistake'

Kate Preston, mitigating, said Bason had been ‘refreshingly honest’, telling police he had been drinking and knew he could be over the limit. She said: “I would suggest this was a case of immaturity. He has no previous convictions or cautions. This was a silly mistake.”
Magistrates have fined Bason £400 and disqualified him from driving for 18 months - which will be reduced if he completes a drink drive rehabilitation course. He must also pay £135 court costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

Drink-driver was pulled over in Stoke

Magistrates have been told a police officer on duty in Stoke became suspicious when he saw Bason driving a Vauxhall Corsa in Campbell Road. He indicated for the vehicle to stop but Bason initially drove away - before pulling over a short distance away. Prosecutor Lynne Warrington said: “When the officer spoke to him he said the defendant smelled of alcohol. A roadside breath test was positive.” Bason later gave an alcohol reading of 75 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Alsager motorist admits drink-driving

The bench will now deal with Thomas Bason, aged 23, of Bladon Crescent, Alsager. He has pleaded guilty to driving while over the alcohol limit at Stoke on February 10, and failing to stop when required by a police officer.