A round-up of people who have been before the Bench

Man made threatening calls to school

MAGISTRATES have jailed a man for 12 weeks after he made threatening phone calls to a member of staff at Rumworth School, Bolton.
At Manchester Magistrates' Court Mark Walker, aged 29, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to making the calls and leaving voice messages between December 15 and 20 last year.
The court heard that the messages had caused "great distress" to the victim and Walker has a previous conviction for a similar offence.
In addition to the prison sentence, Walker was ordered to pay a £122 victim surcharge.

Teenager's threats with baseball bat

A TEENAGE shoplifter who threatened a man with a baseball bat at a Bolton store has been referred to a youth offender panel.
At Wigan Youth Court the 17-year-old, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon and stealing headphones from Asda on November 22.
He was ordered to pay a total of £70 in compensation plus £106 in costs and charges.

Over the limit

A DRIVER has been banned from the roads after he admitted being over the alcohol limit.
Manchester magistrates heard how Sam Brooks, aged 31, months and of Bradshaw Brow, Bolton, was caught driving an Audi in Railway Road, Adlington on March 8.
He pleaded guilty to drink driving and having no insurance.
In addition to a £375 fine, he was banned from holding a licence for 15 months and must pay £117 in costs and charges.

Assaults

A MAN has been ordered to participate in 14 days of rehabilitation activities after he admitted assaulting two people in Bolton on May 14.
At Wigan Magistrates' Court, Shaun Sutton, aged 51, of Pinfold Close, Westhoughton, was fined £60 and ordered to pay his victims a total of £100 in compensation.
He was also told he must pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.
A restraining order was made banning him from contacting one of his victims for six months.

Teenager drove off after hitting vehicle in car park

A TEENAGE driver who failed to stop after hitting another vehicle in a Bolton car park has been sentenced to a conditional discharge for six months by magistrates.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Wigan Youth Court and admitted a series of motoring offences, including careless driving, committed on December 1 last year.
The teenager, who had no licence or insurance, was driving a Toyota RAV4 on Breightmet St when he collided with a Renault Clio and did not stop or report the accident.
Magistrates ordered him to pay the Clio owner £350 in compensation and six penalty points were added to his driving record.

Teenage robber tagged after ignoring court sentence

A TEENAGER who robbed a taxi driver has been electronically tagged after he failed to obey a court order.
The 16-year-old, who cannot be named, was sentenced to a youth rehabilitation order on July 2 after he was convicted of robbing the driver, on January 21, of a cash, cards and a PDA data system.
But Wigan Youth Court heard how he has failed to attend appointments and violated a curfew made as part of the order.
He has now been ordered to comply with an intensive supervision order, and has been electronically tagged. He is subject to a 9pm to 7am curfew for three months.

Banned driver 'panicked' after cops spotted him using a mobile phone

A BMW driver, who was spotted by police using a mobile phone, led them on a chase through residential streets.
Dario Rodrigues, who had no licence after it was revoked on medical grounds, cut corners, drove on the wrong side of the road and failed to indicate as he hurtled down narrow residential streets and a back alley.
After two minutes he abandoned the car and was arrested after trying to flee on foot.
"He was detained almost immediately," Betsy Hindle, prosecuting, told Bolton magistrates.
Rodrigues, of James Street North, Radcliffe and formerly of Little Lever, was due to stand trial accused of dangerous driving, using a mobile phone while driving and having no licence or insurance but changed his plea to guilty.
Miss Hindle told the court how police had first noticed 31-year-old Rodrigues when they spotted him driving a BMW 520 on George Street, Whitefield, at 8.40pm on August 12 last year.
"He was using a mobile phone. The phone was held to his right ear," said Miss Hindle.
"On seeing the police vehicle the defendant put down his mobile phone but failed to stop and began to drive away."
Without slowing, he drove across Bury Old Road into Cross Street and into a ginnel before finally stopping.
The driving was described as not being of the most dangerous kind and Shabir Khattak, defending, told the court that Rodrigues had "panicked" when he saw police.
He stressed that Rodrigues had not taken drink or drugs, no property was damaged and no one injured.
Rodrigues has previous convictions for drink driving and driving without a licence.
For his latest offences magistrates sentenced him to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years and he was made subject to an 8pm to 8am curfew for 22 weeks.
He was banned from driving for two years and ordered to pay a total of £315 in costs and charges.

Driver tagged after refusing motorway breath test

A DRIVER stopped by police on the M61 at Salford has been electronically tagged after he failed to provide a breath sample.
At Manchester Magistrates’ Court Bakhtyarm Karem, aged 45, of Greystone Close, Westhoughton, pleaded guilty to committing the offence on July 28 last year.
He was sentenced to a 7pm to 7am curfew for four months, banned from driving for 18 months.