Round-up of court cases heard in Carlisle and west Cumbria this week
Subscribe to the News & Star today and get the latest news, sports, and entertainment delivered straight to your device.[1] Judge spares drugs offender from jail because of 'exceptional' circumstances A MARYPORT man who was selling cocaine to pay for his own GBP100 per day habit has walked free from a court.
In the three years since his offending was uncovered, 28-year-old Ben Stephenson had rehabilitated himself, ridding himself of his addiction and turning his life around, Carlisle Crown Court heard. The defendant admitted possessing the Class A drug with intent to supply, but the judge concluded "exceptional circumstances" meant he did not have to face an immediate jail term. Full story here.[3]
Couple to be sentenced over raft of drug offences A MARYPORT couple are awaiting sentence after they admitted a raft of drug supply charges. At Carlisle Crown court, Shaun Rafferty, 44, and Chloe Raffery, 32, each admitted four identical charges, involving cocaine and cannabis between February and April, 2023.
The defendants, of Kirkby Street, Maryport, admitted the following:
- Being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis, between February 5, 2023 and April 16 that year
- Possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply on April 17, 2023.
Full story here.[4] Banned motorist drove to hospital to be with 'extremely unwell' wife A BANNED driver caught behind the wheel had driven to hospital to be with his wife because she was 'extremely unwell', a court heard.
Gary Morgan, 66, 'feared the worst' when he received a phone call from the West Cumberland Hospital on October 5 and decided to drive a Citroen Relay van parked outside his house. Pamela Fee, prosecuting, told Workington Magistrates' Court that a police officer saw Morgan driving and believed he was disqualified. Full story here.[5]
Jail for man who spat at police officer A MAN who spat at a police officer after he was arrested because of his "out of control" behaviour has been jailed. Police were called after being alerted by concerned neighbours in west Cumbria who had heard an ongoing domestic dispute between James Postlethwaite, 49, and his partner.
His behaviour that day, July 13 last year, was so aggressive the officers used a taser on him, Carlisle Crown Court heard. The defendant, of no fixed abode, admitted assaulting an emergency worker. Full story here.[6]
Man who posed online with crossbow and knife made terrifying death threats A GRIEF-STRICKEN west Cumbrian man with access to weapons made chilling online death threats to family members. David Wallace, 40, who posted images online of himself posing with a crossbow and a serrated knife, sent the threats to his mother, her grandchildren, and his nephew.
He spoke about "needing to sort a few things out" before "leaving the world and boasted of having "enough weapons to take out Korea." Full story here.[7] Sex offender who played 'Santa' at kids' Xmas party back behind bars
A CARLISLE sex offender with a pornography addiction has been jailed for flouting his sexual harm prevention order - by registering with online dating sites. Darren McGuinness - a convicted paedophile who was once jailed for volunteering to play Santa a church's children's Christmas party in Carlisle - admitted five new offences. At Carlisle Crown Court, a prosecutor outlined how the 50-year-old flouted the terms of being on the Sex Offender Register, which compel him to tell the police of his online activities.
Full story here.[8] Jail for repeat sex offender who had viewed sexualised child images A REPEAT sex offender from Workington is back behind bars after police were tipped off about his perverted online activities.
At Carlisle Crown Court, 27-year-old Jonathan Fell was given a 32-month jail term for his latest offending, which involved him viewing naked and sexualised images of children. Police say they acted after receiving concerning reports about his use of social media in December of last year. Full story here.[9]
Man's sexual interest in children exposed by undercover online police sting exposed by a police sting operation has avoided an immediate jail term. Despite suspecting he was being duped, 37-year-old Philip Bridges repeatedly had highly sexualised online conversations with a person who had told him she was a 13-year-old Cumbrian schoolgirl.
It was an undercover police officer. Full story here.[10] Drink-driver turned up to ex-partner's house 'intoxicated' on Christmas morning
A DRINK-driver got behind the wheel after turning up to his ex-partner's house 'intoxicated' on Christmas morning. Shaun Scott, 37, went to the property in Workington to watch his daughter open Christmas presents but an argument took place and he left in his car. Outlining the case at Workington Magistrates' Court, prosecutor Pamela Fee said police received a 999 call at 7.30am from Scott's ex-partner who said Scott was intoxicated and had been banging on her door.
He then drove off. Full story here.[11] Door kicking incident earns young man GBP250 fine and costs
A YOUNG west Cumbrian man who wanted to retrieve his phone from his ex-partner's home kicked her front door, damaging it. The criminal damage offence admitted by 20-year-old Whitehaven man Declan Wilson put him in breach of a community order that was imposed by a court for two assaults. At Carlisle Crown Court, a prosecutor outlined the offending.
Full story here.[12] Dispute over missing post led to doorstep confrontation A DISPUTE over missing post triggered an ugly doorstep confrontation in Carlisle during which two women were assaulted.
Nicola Milloy, 50, was annoyed with the women - a mother and her daughter - because she wrongly believed they were taking mail addressed to her elderly mother. The defendant, of Milbourne Street, Carlisle, admitted a common assault - by putting one victim in fear of violence; and an assault by beating, when she grabbed the older victim's arm. Full story here.[13]
Man in court accused of stealing deodorant from shop he is banned from entering A MAN has appeared in court accused of stealing deodorant from a supermarket he is banned from entering. Josiah George, 19, faces charges of breaching a criminal behaviour, theft from a shop and using threatening, abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
George, of Gulliver House, Whitehaven, indicated not guilty pleas when he appeared before Workington Magistrates' Court yesterday. Full story here.[14] Son with cocaine addiction vows to spare his mum the 'heartache' in future
A BRICKLAYER from Carlisle became so addicted to the class A drug cocaine he was spending all his wages on it. Kyle Sutherland, 23, eventually began selling both cocaine and cannabis so he could pay for his habit, the city's crown court heard. He admitted possessing both drugs with intent to supply.
The prosecution accepted his cocaine dealing was limited to supplying social contacts only. Full story here.[15] Carlisle drugs conspiracy was exposed by phone records, court told
THREE men and a woman who conspired to supply illicit drugs in Carlisle have been sentenced at the city's crown court. The most serious crimes were committed by 29-year-old Jason Foster, who was recently recalled to prison to serve the remainder of a 45-month jail term for earlier drugs offending. He was implicated in two conspiracies.
Identified as the head of a Carlisle based crime group, he admitted conspiring to supply cocaine between March 2021 and November of that years, as well as conspiring to supply cannabis over the same period. Full story here.[16] Woman admits her careless driving while over the limit caused double tragedy
A FLIMBY woman is facing an "inevitable" jail term after she admitted causing the deaths of two people by careless driving while she was over the drink drive limit. Jade Devine, 33, was originally charged with causing the fatal crash by driving dangerously. But at Carlisle Crown Court, the prosecution accepted her guilty pleas to causing the deaths of Bethanie Clark, 31, and David Muir, 43, by driving carelessly while over the prescribed limit for alcohol.
Full story here.[17] Couple with small child unaware that new friend was sex offender POLICE discovered that a convicted sex offender was using a secret phone after a probation worker spotted him with a couple and their young child in Carlisle.
Gary Davies, 68, had made friends with the family, who were unaware of his past history of committing child sex offences. At the city's crown court, prosecutor Gerard Rogerson outlined how police became aware of Davies' most recent offending. Full story here.[18]
Carlisle 'stalker' flouted restraining order against woman A MAN flouted a restraining order as he called, messaged and emailed a woman while lonely at new year. Barry Roxburgh, 52, was jailed by magistrates in September for stalking the woman.
He was also slapped with a restraining order which banned him from having any direct or indirect contact with her until September, 2029. But Roxburgh began breaching the order on New Year's Eve, Carlisle Magistrates' Court was told. While the woman was watching fireworks with her children, she began receiving calls from a withheld number.
Full story here.[19] Penrith man accused of trafficking GBP80K worth of cocaine A PENRITH man has appeared in court accused of involvement in a large scale drug trafficking enterprise after police allegedly seized a kilo of cocaine potentially worth more than GBP80,000.
Andrew Graham Bell, 35, is one of two men who were charged after an incident in Penrith on Friday. Bell and that second man, 34-year-old Eyup Bayram, appeared separately in front of deputy district judge Roger Lowe at Carlisle Magistrates' Court on afternoon Monday. Full story here.[20]
Motorway crash happened after driver 'nodded off' at the wheel A MOTORIST caused a crash on the M6 in north Cumbria after he "momentarily" fell asleep, a court heard. At Carlisle's Rickergate court, 64-year-old Anthony Dorman admitted dangerous driving.
He unintentionally committed the offence on December 21 between Junctions 42 and 43. The defendant nodded off just after 12.30pm while at the wheel of a Kia Sportage. It collided with a Hyundai, causing it to hit the motorway's central reservation.
Full story here.[21] Roads worker returning from Xmas party was drink driving A ROADS worker from Carlisle has lost his job because police caught him drink driving after attending a Christmas party.
The Volvo car that 35-year-old Rafael Komornicki was driving was seen by police at 5.15am on December 21 on Warwick Road, swerving and crossing into the wrong side of the carriageway, magistrates heard. He pleaded guilty to the offence. Full story here.[22]
Prolific thief's street attack on woman was caught on CCTV A PROLIFIC thief was caught on camera attacking a young woman on a Carlisle street because she refused to give him drugs. Ryan Ferguson, 30, was originally charged with robbing the woman but prosecutors dropped that charge after it emerged that he was attempting to take a wrap of heroin from the woman.
He admitted an actual bodily harm assault. Full story here.[23] High risk sex offender loses bid to avoid lie detector testing
A HIGH-RISK Cumbrian sex offender has failed to overturn a court order that compels him to take lie detector tests. A judge last year jailed 41-year-old Workington man David Mawson after he admitted downloading indecent child images, including one of a three-year-old being sexually abused. He was given a ten-month jail term after the judge concluded he was not at that time capable of being rehabilitated.
Full story here.[24] Carlisle man's formal complaint to police was 'grossly offensive' MAGISTRATES have fined a Carlisle man for sending police a "grossly offensive" message, saying he would smile every time he saw an officer officer killed or injured.
Stephen Harding, 33, included the message in an official complaint form that he sent to Cumbria Constabulary on April 5 last year.
The form also included the words: "Kill yourself."
References
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- ^ Full story here. (www.newsandstar.co.uk)
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