A round-up of people who have appeared in court in Bury. 

Thief behind bars after stealing beard trimmer

STEALING a beard trimmer proved to be the final straw for a serial shoplifter, who has been put behind bars.

John Darbo, aged 53, of St John’s Court, Radcliffe, stole £45 of food from Asda in Radcliffe on Tuesday, December 8, and returned the following day to steal £35 of food.
On Friday, December 11, the thief stole watches worth £49 from TK Maxx in Bury and then stole the beard trimmer from T J Hughes in Bury on Monday, December 14.

Darbo was arrested and admitted four counts of shoplifting when he appeared at Bury Magistrates Court on Tuesday, December 15.

He was jailed Darbo for 12 weeks and said he had gone on an offending spree to feed his drug habit.

He was also ordered to pay £310 in compensation and court costs.

Drink driver is spared prison term by court

A DRINK driver who failed to stop at the scene of a crash has been spared jail.

Steven Conway, aged 23, of St Andrew's Close, Ramsbottom, was driving a Vauxhall Insignia in Nuttall Lane, Ramsbottom, on November 6 when the crash took place.

He appeared before Bury magistrates and admitted taking a vehicle without the owner's consent, driving without insurance, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and drink driving.

Magistrates said the offence was serious because damaged was caused to a Ford Ka in the accident.

Conway was given a two-month prison sentence suspended for a year and ordered to do 60 hours of unpaid work.

He was banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay £615 in court costs.

Attacker guilty

A MAN has been ordered to do 60 hours of unpaid work after attacking two women.

Matthew Price, aged 23, of Fern Street, Ramsbottom, admitted to Bury magistrates on December 14 that he assaulted the women in Bury on November 28.

He must also pay £210 in court costs.

Motorist had taken cocaine

A MAN has been banned from driving for three years after cocaine was detected in his blood.

Reece Love, aged 26, of Bridge Hall Drive, Bury, admitted to Bury magistrates on December 11 that on September 3, he drove a Vauxhall Vectra in Bond Street, Bury, while he was under the influence of cocaine.

As well as the ban, he must also pay a £150 court charge.

Suspended jail sentence

A MAN who refused to give a breath test after a road crash has been spared jail.

Robert Canterbury, aged 30, of Oak Street, Shaw, drove a car in Bury on September 30 and was involved in a road crash.

He admitted to Bury magistrates on November 20 that he refused to give a breath test.

At a further hearing on December 11, Canterbury was handed an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered him to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

According to court records, the offence was serious because Canterbury showed "a high level of intoxication".

They have also ordered Canterbury to undergo drug rehabilitation and to pay £315 court costs.

Jail let-off for drugs man

A MAN caught with cocaine in Bury has been warned to stay out of trouble.

Romeo Higgins, aged 19, of Stretford Road, Urmston, admitted to Bury magistrates on December 11 that he was in possession of cocaine on December 3.

He was handed a 12-month conditional discharge, which means he would be likely to get a stricter sentence if he were to reoffend.

Higgins was also ordered to £250 court costs.

Woman was in breach of order

A WOMAN has appeared in court after trying to talk to a man.

Sarah Naysmith, aged 37, of Bolton Street, Ramsbottom, was banned from speaking to the man, who has not been named, under the terms of a restraining order but, on July 20, tried to talk to him.

She admitted the offence to Bury magistrates on December 11 and was ordered to pay £510 in fines and court costs.

Naysmith was found not guilty of a further charge of leaving a voicemail message for the man in breach of the order.

Motorist loses licence for year

A DRINK driver has been banned from getting behind the wheel for a year.

Jack Watson, aged 20, of Hampton Grove, Bury, drove a Citroen C2 in Dumers Lane, Radcliffe, on November 8 while over the limit.

He admitted the offence to Bury magistrates on December 15 and was also ordered to pay £565 in court costs and fines.

Man banned after admitting drink driving

A MAN has been banned from driving for 20 months after admitting a string of motoring offences.

Nicholas McDermott, 34, of Deansgate, Manchester, drove a Mercedes at the Heap Bridge Service Station, off Manchester Road, Bury, on August 16, while over the legal alcohol limit.

Earlier that day, McDermott had been driving the car in Peter Street, Manchester, when it hit a woman, causing her minor injuries.

He appeared before Bury magistrates on December 15 and admitted drink driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

McDermott was also ordered to pay fines and court costs totalling £2,370.

Year-long road ban for drinker

A BOY has been banned from driving for a year after getting caught drink driving.

The 17 year old, of Radcliffe, who cannot be named, drove a Volkswagen Golf in Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe, on October 24, while over the legal alcohol limit.

He admitted the offence to Bury magistrates on December 11 and was also ordered to pay £375 in fines and court costs.

Man jailed for attacks on woman

A THUG who attacked a woman twice has been jailed for 23 weeks.

Edward Fitzgerald, aged 47, of Mathew Street, Radcliffe, assaulted the woman at some point between February 20 and March 20 and again on May 30.

He admitted the offences to Bury magistrates on December 14 and was also ordered to pay £230 in court costs.

According to court documents, magistrates said the offences were serious because Fitzgerald made threats of serious violence and because one offence involved a threat with a weapon.

Ban from road for drink-driver

A DRINK-driver has been banned from getting behind the wheel for a year.

Nannette Bloom, aged 45, of Hey Croft, Whitefield, drove a Mercedes Benz in Elms Street, Whitefield, while over the legal alcohol limit.

Bloom admitted the offence to Bury magistrates on December 11 and was also ordered to pay £325 in fines and court costs.

Woman admits drink-driving

A WOMAN has been banned from driving for 17 months after being caught drink-driving in Whitefield.

Celine Traynor, aged 18, of Hampden Road, Prestwich, admitted to Bury magistrates on December 11 that she drove a Peugeot car in Higher Lane, Whitefield, on October 24 while she was over the legal alcohol limit.

Traynor was also ordered to pay £499 in fines and court costs.

Vacuum cleaner theft

STEALING a vacuum cleaner landed a Whitefield man in court.

Mohammed Kulasi, aged 33, of Moss Lane, stole the Beldry vacuum cleaner and a Beldry window cleaner, worth a total of £99, from TJ Hughes in Bury on September 8.

He admitted the offence to Bury magistrates on Friday.

Kulasi committed the offence while subject to a suspended sentence order made by Manchester Magistrates Court on September 23.

Kulasi was given a community order, which includes a requirement to get help for drug dependency. 

He was also ordered to pay £335 in court costs and compensation.

Man in court for resisting arrest

A WHITEFIELD man has been warned to behave for the next six months after resisting arrest.

Philip Barker, aged 50, of Mersey Drive, committed the offence in Bury on February 28 and admitted it to Bury magistrates last Thursday.

He was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay court costs totalling £100.

Barker had previously been charged with assaulting the same police officer and was found not guilty after a trial on March 20.