Six defendants who’ve been up in court this week

Here are the latest cases from the region's courts:

STAFFORD:

Thirty-six-year-old Mark Andrea has been hit with a £511 court bill after he assaulted police officers and stole from a shop. Prosecutor Lee Stone told North Staffordshire Justice Centre^[1] Andrea stayed at a woman 's house in Stafford^[2] on three or four occasions.

On the evening of July 17 she looked out her window and saw him outside. Mr Stone said: "She opened the door to speak to him. He called her a name. She was worried things would escalate and she decided to go to Tesco. He pursued her."

READ: Stoke-on-Trent man's sick threats to journalist after seeing her on Piers Morgan show^[3]

Staff at the store were informed. She remained at Tesco for a while before returning home. Andrea took part of a brick he found nearby and scratched into concrete, 'You dirty rat, You gave me Hep C you dirty grass'.

On September 2 two members of the public saw Andrea acting suspiciously in Tesco and informed a manager. He stole magazines and puzzle books worth £30.

Mr Stone said: "Outside the store he approached two people, one in a mobility scooter, and said, 'If you were not in that scooter I would knock you out now'.

"The man said, 'Come on, I am off my scooter now'. There was a verbal altercation but no violence. The following day he came across the victim again and was abusive to her, saying, 'You are a grass'.

"The police were alerted. They attended to arrest him. There was a scuffle. The officer and the defendant rolled on the floor. He bit the officer on his index finger."

Andrea, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to three charges of using threatening words or behaviour; theft; criminal damage; and assaulting an emergency worker.

Adam Morgan, mitigating, said Andrea pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He said Andrea reacted after the police handcuffed him too tight.

Magistrates fined Andrea £140 and ordered him to pay £100 compensation to the officer, £30 compensation to Tesco, £185 costs and a £56 surcharge.

BURSLEM:

Thirty-six-year-old Thomas Hulse, who is due to be sentenced for assault by beating and intentional strangulation in Burslem^[4] on March 13, has had his case adjourned.

He will re-appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre^[5] on September 27.

Hulse, of Waterside, Stapenhill, Burton, was bailed with conditions not to enter Wade Street, Burslem, or contact the complainant.

KEELE:

Motorist Darren Feeney was caught drink-driving and driving without due care and attention on the M6. The 43-year-old was said to have reached speeds of 115mph as he undertook vehicles and caused a lorry to brake to avoid a crash.

Now Feeney has been banned from the roads for 40 months and hit with an £835 court bill at North Staffordshire Justice Centre^[6]. Prosecutor Lee Stone said traffic officers on the northbound M6 on May 20 came across Feeney driving erratically before stopping at Stafford Services^[7].

Mr Stone said: "He continued on his journey. He passed junction 15 and accelerated up to 115mph. He was witnessed undertaking vehicles and causing an HGV to brake to avoid a collision.

"He was stopped at Keele Services^[8]. He refused to get out of the vehicle. He was taken out and detained. He failed a roadside breath test. In custody his lowest reading was 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35."

The court heard Feeney has a previous conviction for drink-driving in 2015. Feeney, of Forster Street, Warrington, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving without due care and attention.

Gareth Davies, mitigating, said there was no evidence that Feeney reached 115mph. He said police did not give his client an opportunity to get out of the vehicle at Keele^[9]. Mr Davies said: "They dragged him out the vehicle and took him to the ground."

Magistrates fined Feeney £500 and ordered him to pay a £200 surcharge and £135 costs. His ban will be reduced by nine months if he completes a drink-drivers' rehabilitation course.

TUNSTALL:

Fifty-six-year-old Matthew Bellisario has been handed a 12-month community order after he assaulted his partner in her home. Prosecutor Lee Stone told North Staffordshire Justice Centre police were called to a report that Bellisario was assaulting his partner at her home in Copper Close, Kidsgrove^[10], on June 7 last year (2022).

Bellisario, of Wardle Street, Tunstall^[11], denied assault by beating but was convicted after a trial on June 13. Mr Stone said magistrates found the matters proved were that Bellisario manhandled his partner on the landing. He squeezed her and held her by the jaw, the court heard.

Mr Stone added: "It was aggravated by the fact it was committed in a domestic context."

Janice Sain-Reiners, mitigating, said the victim was still with Bellisario and they have been out on trips together. Miss Sain-Reiners said: "She wants him back in the family home. She wants him to go to Cheshire with her. He is not proud of himself. It was an isolated incident. He had no previous convictions. He has a letting agency."

As part of the community order Bellisario must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 15 days and 60 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £965 costs and a £95 surcharge.

BURSLEM:

Drink-driver Kelsey McBrayne has been banned from the roads for 19 months after she was caught behind the wheel when more than twice the legal limit. North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard the 28-year-old was stopped in Wolstanton Road, Newcastle^[12], on July 22.

She was breathalysed and gave a reading of 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit of 35. McBrayne, of High Lane, Burslem^[13], pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Andrea Wilkes, mitigating, said McBrayne was genuinely remorseful. Magistrates fined McBrayne £311 and ordered her to pay £135 costs and a £124 surcharge. Her ban will be reduced by 19 weeks if she completes a drink-drivers' rehabilitation course.

MIDDLEPORT:

Forty-eight-year-old Alan Pawlowski was fined £80 after he admitted being drunk and disorderly. North Staffordshire Justice Centre^[14] heard police attended Wessex Court, Middleport^[15], at 11.30am on July 23 to deal with a domestic incident.

Prosecutor Suzanne Swindail said: "Pawlowski was heavily intoxicated. He became increasingly more aggressive towards officers. He was arrested for being drunk and disorderly."

Mark Harrison, mitigating, said: "He accepts he should have behaved better than he did. He accepts he had too much to drink."

As well as the fine magistrates ordered Pawlowski to pay £135 costs and a £32 surcharge.

COURT AND CRIME NEWSLETTER: Sign up for email^[16] alerts direct to your inbox^[17]

References

1. ^{^} North Staffordshire Justice Centre (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Stafford (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Stoke-on-Trent man's sick threats to journalist after seeing her on Piers Morgan show (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Burslem (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
5. ^{^} North Staffordshire Justice Centre (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
6. ^{^} North Staffordshire Justice Centre (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
7. ^{^} Stafford Services (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
8. ^{^} Keele Services (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
9. ^{^} Keele (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
10. ^{^} Kidsgrove (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
11. ^{^} Tunstall (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
12. ^{^} Newcastle (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
13. ^{^} Burslem (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
14. ^{^} North Staffordshire Justice Centre (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
15. ^{^} Middleport (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
16. ^{^} COURT AND CRIME NEWSLETTER: Sign up for email (data.reachplc.com)
17. ^{^} alerts direct to your inbox (data.reachplc.com)