Wigan's week in court

A Wigan man tried to arrange for a child sex crime to be committed, magistrates heard. Paul Fields denies the single charge of attempting to facilitate an illegal act between February 5 and 19. The 47-year-old of Canberra Road, Marsh Green, was released on conditional bail until he makes a first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on June 23.

A motorist has been banned from the road for a year and hit with a hefty bill for driving while uninsured. Kelly Hare, 35, of Hampden Place. Marsh Green, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to the motoring infringement involving a Citroen C1 in Bulteel Street, Pemberton, on March 3 last year. She was fined £660 and also has another £151 to pay to victim services and the courts.

A Wigan man admitted to downloading indecent images of children and twice breaching a sexual harm prevention order. Simon Blakeney, 59, of Grove Place, Standish, stood before a Bolton judge to admit to possessing “child porn” images comprising 28 which fall into the severest catgeory (A), 18 category B and 97 category C between March 2016 and July 2018. He also admitted downloading Torch software for the purpose of Peer 2 Peer networking which he was prevented from doing and failing to complete annual notifications in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act. However he does dispute details within the case and so a trial of issue is to be held on July 8 before sentencing.

A young Wigan man has admitted peddling hard drugs. Lewis Causey, 22, of Falkirk Grove, Norley, appeared before borough magistrates to plead guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine between September 9 an d October 3. He was sent to Bolton Crown Court to be sentenced by a judge on June 23.

A motorist who denied driving under the influence of cocaine and cannabis has come clean on the eve of his trial. Zacharia Mortimer, 40, of Portland Street, Wigan, appeared before Wigan justices to plead guilty to having taken illegal quantities of the drugs before driving a BMW in Thicketford Road, Bolton. He will be sentenced on June 10 before which an interim driving disqualification has been imposed.

A Wigan rail passenger has been convicted of a train journey fare dodge. Jermaine Bowes, of Blackberry Drive, Hindley, had denied the charge but was found guilty after a trial by Wigan magistrates of not having a ticket on a train at Hindley on July 18, 2019. A fine, compensation, court costs and a payment to victim services brought his bill to £404.50.

A shoplifter who twice targeted Wigan’s town centre Boots store to steal make-up and electric razors has been given a community punishment. Kelvin Sharratt, 27, of Arcade Street, Wigan, admitted snatching three razors together worth £350 and cosmetics totalling £173 on April 11 and 13. He was ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities and is the subject of a 12-month criminal behaviour order which bars him from many parts of Wigan town centre. There is also a fine, court costs and victim services surcharge totalling £280 to pay.

A Wigan woman has been accused of issuing racist threats. Caroline Hayes, 41, of Almond Grove, Worsley Hall, is charged with menacing Sylwia Pilawksa on at least two occasions between October 2019 and August 2020, that the threats made her fear violence would be committed against her and that they were racially motivated. She is further charged with threatening Ann Sharpe on May 11 and disorderly and threatening behaviour the following day. Hayes has yet to enter pleas and she was released on conditional bail until she must return to the court on June 10.

A pervert from Wigan has been sentenced after committing an indecent act on a train while sitting next to a child. Kevin Derrek Whittam, of Hallstead Grove, Worsley, was found guilty of outraging public decency. He was handed a community order and a five-year sexual harm prevention order at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 18 May. The 59-year-old was also fined £100 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £90 and £300 court costs. The court heard how on October 10, 2019, a woman travelling with her adult daughter witnessed Whittam board the train at Lancaster and sit next to a young boy who was sitting separately from his family. She saw Whittam touching himself inappropriately while looking at the boy. She alerted the boy’s mother who moved her son and reported the incident to British Transport Police who arrested Whittam at Wigan North Western station. Investigating officer PC Allan Fernie said, “This was an incredibly shocking and disturbing incident.

“We will not tolerate any unwanted sexual behaviour on the railway and we will make sure offenders like Whittam are brought before the courts.

“Thanks to the report from a member of the public, we were able to arrest Whittam immediately.

“If you see or experience anything that isn’t right, text us discreetly on 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40.”

A pervert who thought he was having an online relationship with a 13-year-old girl is behind bars after discovering she was an undercover police officer. Matthew Phair, 38, of Bolton Road, Ashton, faced five charges, including inciting a girl to perform lewd acts, showing her indecent images and trying to meet with her for sexual purposes. He pleaded guilty to the 2017 crimes on his first appearance at Bolton Crown Court. And at his sentencing hearing the court was told that Phair had struck up a conversation with “Chloe” which degenerated into the sending of lewd messages and videos and his asking the girl to undress and send pictures of herself to him. He also told the “youngster” that he wanted to have sex with her and that there was no danger of her getting pregnant because he had had a vasectomy. It was when he arranged to meet the victim face to face behind a local supermarket that he came face to face with police and was arrested. Phair was jailed for two years and is the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

A man has finally admitted to possessing animal porn. Nathan Greeley, 28, of Blackberry Drive, Hindley, had appeared before Wigan magistrates in January to plead not guilty to having 10 grossly offensive images of a human having intercourse with animals, and creating one image of child abuse which falls into the second gravest category of seriousness. At a new hearing he changed his plea over the animal porn to guilty while no evidence was offered by the prosecution for the indecent image charge and so that was dismissed. Greeley was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £220 to victim services and the court.

A Wigan man has denied repeatedly sexually abusing a young schoolgirl. The 13 charges against Sean Johnson include one of rape, two of attempted rape and several others of indecent assault perpetrated in different ways as well as forcing her to perform sex acts on him. Wigan justices heard the offences are alleged to have taken place over a period of more than two years in Leigh and Tyldesley from early August 2017 to November 2019 when the alleged victim was aged 12 to 14. The 38-year-old of Roundhouse Avenue, Aspull, pleaded not guilty to all the charges and he was released on conditional bail pending a first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on June 9.

A Wigan woman who stole goods from a neighbouring borough’s supermarket has been given an 18-month conditional discharge. Kerry Taylor, 44, of Leader Street, Ince, stood before Wigan justices to admit taking various items - including alcohol, steaks and shampoo - from Sainsbury’s on Cricketer’s Way in Bolton on November 21. She must also pay £22 to victim services.

A young Wigan man is facing two child sex crime charges. Harry Brookfield, 25, of Orchard Street, Wigan, stood before borough justices accused of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence and inciting a girl aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity. The case was immediately sent to Bolton Crown Court although a date for his first appearance has yet to be fixed.

A Wigan woman has pleaded guilty to two attacks. Shannon Dunn, 26, of Graysons Close, Wigan, stood before borough magistrates to admit the assault of Barrie Houghton and PC Alger by beating on January 20. She was bailed until sentencing at the same court on June 22.

A man has admitted drunkenly abusing someone about their perceived sexual orientation. Wigan magistrates said that the hostile “homophobic comments” aggravated the crime of drunk and disorderly behaviour by Darren Hilton in Exeter Road on May 8. The 38-year-old of Maple Avenue, Hindley Green, was given a nine-month conditional discharge and he must pay £107 to victim services and the court.

A Wigan man was found armed in the street with a machete, borough magistrates heard. Thomas Jackson, 27, of Church Street, Golborne, pleaded guilty to having the offensive weap near his home on May 7 and the bench adjourned the hearing until June 16 for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

A Wigan jail inmate has had five weeks added to his sentence after he admitted attacking a prison officer. Craig Blissett, 21, now of HMP Forest Bank, launched the attack on Chris Fields at Hindley Prison last September 28. As well as the extra prison time, Blissett, was ordered to pay his victim £150 in compensation. The chair of the justices told him, “Assault on a prison officer whilst carrying out his duties can not be tolerated,” also noting that he had a history of violence.

A Wigan man who attacked three people at a supermarket has a big court bill to pay. John Thompson, 29, of Lily Lane, Bamfurlong, stood before borough justices to admit to the assaults by beating of Lisa Durkin, Abbas Artar and Abigail Cunliffe in Horwich while also threatening and abusing staff at the Mason Street store there. He was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £500 comprising fines, court costs and a victim services surcharge. No compensation was ordered because none of the victims had sustained injuries.

Two teenagers have been accused of attacking another male. The Wigan 17 and 18-year-olds, who cannot be named, appeared before borough justices charged with causing the actual bodily harm of a named individual on October 2. The case was sent to Bolton Crown Court and the pair will make their first appearance before a judge on June 23.

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