THREE sex offenders who ignored orders put in place to protect the public and a thief who stole two bikes in three days were just some of the defendants in court over the last week.
Yet again, it has been another busy week for defendants appearing in courts across Cheshire and here is a roundup of those who have stood in the dock.
Sex offender told to carry out unpaid work after having contact with girl under 16
A NORTHWICH man has been told to carry out unpaid work after breaching the terms of a sexual harm prevention order.
Lee Humphries, of Wessex Drive, Rudheath, had been convicted of sexual offences at Chester Crown Court more than five years ago - on February 24, 2017.
As part of the terms of that order, Humphries was not permitted to have unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 16.
However, on two occasions – between May 4 and June 12, 2020, and June 9 and 20, 2020, – he did just that. Under the terms of the order, he would have required the written consent from child social care or had been allowed to do so by an order of the family courts.
Sex offender jailed for not telling police he was staying at house with a child
A 27-YEAR-OLD man from Northwich has been sent to prison for more than eight months after not telling police he was staying at a house with a child.
Stephen Bonnett, of Mayfield Road, appeared in Chester Magistrates’ Court on June 16 after pleading guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements.
Between May 6 and 10, 2022, Bonnett failed to notify police within three days of staying in a household for at least 12 hours where a child lives.
Winsford sex offender avoids jail after using Snapchat in breach of court order
A CONVICTED sex offender from Winsford has avoided jail after breaching the terms of an order by using Snapchat.
David Gittins, of Curzon Court, was jailed for four years in 2010 for a total of 14 sexual offences.
As part of that sentence, the 36-year-old was barred from using various internet-based facilities, including on-line chat platforms for a indefinite period.
However, between May 19, 2021, and April 8 this year, Gittins was caught chatting to an undercover police officer on two different platforms – Wink and Snapchat.
Man who stole two bikes over three days in town must carry out unpaid work
A BIKE thief has been told to do unpaid work after he failed to show up for appointments with the probation service.
Tristan Matthews had been made the subject of a community order on September 23, 2021, after stealing two bikes in Northwich.
The 20-year-old was appearing at Chester Magistrates Court on Thursday, June 16, where he pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of the order and was re-sentenced for the original offences.
Bodycam footage captures van driver's tirade of abuse at council worker in Knutsford
A VAN driver who left a parking officer 'shaken' after subjecting him to threats and abuse in Knutsford, has been fined.
Steven Williamson, of The Pines, Wythenshawe, pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive, insulting words and behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress when he appeared at Stockport Magistrates Court on Monday, June 6.
The 42-year-old's abusive and threatening behaviour was captured on a bodycam being worn by the Cheshire East Council parking officer.
Northwich man jailed after sex chats with four 'teen girls' who were all decoys
A CHESHIRE man who engaged in online sex chats with what he thought were four underage girls was actually communicating with decoys set up by paedophile hunters.
Andrew Gates, 50, of Alan Street, Northwich, pleaded guilty to a total of seven charges, including five offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
He also admitted one offence of causing what he believed was a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity, and one offence of intentionally inciting what he believed was a 13-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity.
Man guilty of performing sex act in front of young girls who babysat his children
A WEAVERHAM man has been found guilty of performing a sex act in front of two young girls who had been babysitting his own children.
Mark Anthony Foster has been on trial at Chester Crown Court charged with a total of seven historic sex offences dating back to the 1990s.
The 60-year-old, of Forster Avenue, denied the accusations made against him by a total of four women, who are now in their 40s, but at the time had been aged between nine and 13.
Now, after deliberating the evidence for just under five hours, the jury issued unanimous guilty verdicts on two counts of indecency with a child.
Serial offender spared jail despite being drunk and disorderly in public again
A SERIAL offender from Northwich has been spared another spell behind bars, despite being drunk and disorderly in public again.
Craig Lee Howman, of Stones Manor Lane in Hartford, had been sent to prison for 14 days in January of this year and was on post-sentence supervision after his release.
However, the 30-year-old was back in Chester Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 14, to face fresh charges.
The court heard how Howman was on Penrhyn Road in the town on May 25 and was being drunk and disorderly.
Pervert avoids jail despite having thousands of sick images of children and animals
A WINSFORD pervert has avoided jailed despite being found in possession of thousands of sick images of children and animals.
Alexander Clarke, of Beckett Avenue, appeared at Chester Crown Court on June 10 where he pleaded guilty to six sex offence charges.
The 23-year-old was charged with making and possessing 2,709 indecent images of children between April 29, 2017, and September 4, 2020.
Of these, 580 were in the most serious category, A, 549 were category B and 1,580 were category C.
Winsford man hit with court fine for growing cannabis in town
A WINSFORD man has been hit with a court fine after being caught growing cannabis in the town.
Dean Groves, of Dean Street, appeared at Crewe Magistrates Court on June 14 where he pleaded guilty to a charge of producing a controlled class B drug.
The charge relates to an incident on February 22 this year.
Man with 'flagrant disregard for property' jailed after breaking into gym
A WINSFORD man 'with a flagrant disregard for people and their property' faces a month behind bars after breaking into a gym.
Nathan Baker, of Saxon Crossway, forced his way into Funk Fitness, a gym in John Street, Winsford, on March 6 earlier this year.
The 30-year-old appeared at Crewe Magistrates Court on Wednesday, June 15, where he pleaded guilty to the burglary with intent to steal.
Man jailed for attacking police officer just weeks after completing booze ban
A WINSFORD man has been jailed for attacking a police officer just weeks after completing an alcohol abstinence programme.
Daniel David Cross, of Wharton Gardens, assaulted the officer on August 30, 2021, in what was described by magistrates as a deliberate attack.
The 26-year-old was appearing at Chester Magistrates Court on Wednesday, June 15, where he pleaded guilty to the offences and also breaching the terms of a suspended sentence order.
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