FROM families who embarked on stealing sprees together to scammers and neighbours from hell, East Lancashire’s courts have seen their fair share of action since the month began.

Here’s a round-up of some of best and most wacky magistrates court stories from May.

Couple took three kids with them on £1,200 Blackburn shoplifting trip

A couple had three children with them when they went on a shoplifting expedition.

Blackburn magistrates heard property worth over £1,200 was recovered from their car.

Melissa McDonagh, 32, of Topsham Walk, Manchester, pleaded guilty to theft of property worth £553 from B & Q, Blackburn, theft of bottles of alcohol worth £254 from Tesco, Haslingden, theft of spirits worth £192 from Asda, Blackburn, and theft of clothing worth £211 from B & M Bargains, Blackburn.

She was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £80 and ordered to pay £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Peter Anthony McDonagh, 34, of the same address, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the thefts and driving without insurance or licence.

He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement and 50 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

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Drunken mum launched vicious attack on heart-op woman in Blackburn Aldi bread aisle

A WOMAN who had recently undergone heart surgery was attacked in a supermarket after showing concern for what she thought was a stray dog.

Blackburn magistrates heard the woman was dragged to the floor by her hair and then pulled across the shopping aisle.

The attack by Mrs Charlie Jackson only ended when staff at Aldi on Montague Street, Blackburn, intervened.

Jackson, 46, of Bolton Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Victoria Goulden and two charges of assaulting an emergency worker. She was sentenced to eight weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and made subject to a community order with 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement and a nine months alcohol treatment order. She was ordered to pay £50 to each of her victims, £85 costs and £128 victim surcharge.

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Grieving son got involved in Universal Credit scam

A MAN who was "at a low ebb" succumbed to temptation when a man in a pub asked him to get involved in a benefits scam.

Blackburn magistrates heard Danny Wilkinson allowed his details and bank account to be used for the fraud which brought in three separate payments of over £1,500.

Wilkinson, 28, of Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to three charges of retaining a wrongful credit. He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement and a curfew between 9pm and 6am. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

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Police called to reports of man unconscious behind wheel of Audi

POLICE responded to a “concern for safety” situation after a man was reported apparently unconscious behind the wheel of a car.

Blackburn magistrates heard when police arrived, Samuel Thornber was sitting in the driver’s seat of his Audi Q5 with the engine running.

The officers had to bang on the window and shine a torch in his face before Thornber was eventually roused.

Thornber, 29, of Pendle Street East, Sabden, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was made subject to a curfew from 8pm to 6am for eight weeks, banned from driving for 26 months and ordered to pay £85 costs. Thornber gave a reading of 109 against the legal limit of 35.

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Burnley neighbour from hell threatened to chop woman's head off

A NEIGHBOUR from hell caused problems from "day one" after moving in next-door.

Blackburn magistrates heard things came to a head when Thomas Nadin kept his neighbour awake all night banging on the walls and shouting threats.

At 6.30 am her adult son went round and asked Nadin to quieten down and the defendant apologised.

The son then went to work and five minutes later Nadin was banging on his neighbour's door making threats to stab her, kill her and cut her head off.

Nadin, 31, of Briercliffe Road, Burnley, was convicted after trial of using threatening behaviour and harassment of Tammy Ratcliffe. He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 15 hours rehabilitation activity requirement and 150 hours unpaid work. He was made subject to a restraining order for two years which prohibits him having any contact with Tammy Ratcliffe or deliberately making noise in his home which would cause her distress. He was ordered to pay £500 costs and £95 victim surcharge.

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