Each week dozens of defendants find themselves in the dock in Lancashire’s courts.
This week has seen defendants charged with murder, perverting the course of justice. Some are yet to stand trial, others are beginning prison sentences.
We take a look at the week in court.
Trial date set for man accused of murdering Matthew Daulby in Ormskirk
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Matthew Daulby who died following a street fight in Ormskirk.
Thomas Dures, 21, appeared by video link from Wormwood Scrubs prison after being arrested in Greece and returning to the UK to face charges. He spoke only to confirm his name and to say that he understood proceedings..
The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham, set a date for Dures to stand trial. The defendant was remanded in custody and will next appear at Preston Crown Court on February 28, 2025, for a plea hearing. A trial has been scheduled for July 7, 2025.
Matthew, 19, died from a single stab wound during a brawl between two groups of young men on Railway Road, Ormskirk, just after midnight on July 29, 2023.
FULL STORY: Trial date set for man accused of murdering Matthew Daulby in Ormskirk
Jail for prolific Accrington shoplifter who repeatedly breached bail
Aleric McKee
A prolific shoplifter who repeatedly breached his bail conditions has been jailed.
Aleric McKee, of Alexandra Close, Clayton-le-Moors, was arrested and charged for five theft from a shop offences in Accrington. He was also charged with three breaches of bail.
The 30-year-old appeared before Blackburn Magistrates Court last Friday (January 3) where he pleaded guilty to the charges. He has been sentenced to 10 weeks in prison.
FULL STORY: Jail for prolific Accrington shoplifter who repeatedly breached bail
‘Move or I’ll shoot’ – troubled woman made ‘false gun threat’ claim to detectives
Allicja Smith
(Image: Lancs Police)
A woman who falsely claimed to have had a gun pulled on her by a man she had a brief relationship with has been jailed for 14 months.
Allicja Smith, 20, told police she had been to collect items from the man’s house in Ramsbottom and saw the gun on the bed. She claimed to have taken a photo of the gun but the man picked it up and pointed it at her, saying “move or I’ll shoot”.
She gave her name as Lacey Harrison and said there had been domestic abuse in their four month relationship, which had ended in November 2022. As a result, a police officer was deployed to guard her home and the man was arrested on suspicion of a firearms offence, prosecutor Martineh Jabbari said.
FULL STORY: ‘Move or I’ll shoot’ – troubled woman made ‘false gun threat’ claim to detectives
Cruel man starved dog to death after leaving him to suffer for months
Hades had a fractured rib on the left-hand side – consistent with blunt force trauma
A man from Lancashire has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for life after leaving his dog to starve to death.
James Thomas Ashworth pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his dog Hades who tragically died due to emaciation. RSPCA officers said the bull breed had pressure sores, a body condition score of 1/9 ‘with his spine and pelvic bones all protruding sharply’ and had ‘very clearly been suffering’.
The 41-year-old, of Hartley Street, Oswaldtwistle, was sentenced at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on January 2. The prosecution, brought by the RSPCA, came after the charity had visited Ashworth to try to help him and his dog.
FULL STORY: Cruel man starved dog to death after leaving him to suffer for months
Lancashire teenager banned from football matches over Liverpool tragedy chanting
Kian Holt
A Lancashire teenager who was caught chanting offensive slurs during a Liverpool football match has been handed a ban from attending future games.
Kian Holt, a Manchester City supporter, was spotted by a steward in the away section at Anfield, banging on a metal wall and shouting derogatory chants towards Liverpool fans. The incident took place during Liverpool’s Premier League fixture at Anfield on December 1, 2024.
FULL STORY: Lancashire teenager banned from football matches over Liverpool tragedy chanting
Former Accrington Stanley announcer jailed after keeping woman prisoner in his home
Joshua Adcroft
A former Accrington Stanley football announcer has been jailed for three years and nine months after assaulting a young woman he kept prisoner in his home.
Joshua Adcroft began seeing the vulnerable 20-year-old in January 2024, when she had just come out of a relationship with another man. But things quickly turned sour between the couple on a weekend away at a hotel in Manchester last April, Manchester Crown Court heard and later in June.
Adcroft, of Lower Antley Street, Accrington, was convicted of common assault, ABH and false imprisonment following a trial at Preston Crown Court. The court heard Adcroft also has a previous conviction for possession of indecent images and has since pleaded guilty to further possession of indecent images and sexual communication with a child.
FULL STORY: Former Accrington Stanley announcer jailed after keeping woman prisoner in his home
‘Nightmare’ as couple terrorised in own home by masked men armed with baseball bats
Anthony Corkovic
A couple were the victims of a horrifying home invasion as three masked men wielding baseball bats burst into their ‘semi-rural’ property.
The terrifying incident occurred while the pair were at home in Ramsbottom watching a Manchester City match on television, a court was told. The ordeal left them battered and bruised after the gang demanded access to their safe and made off with two Rolex watches, a wedding ring, and a sum of cash.
“It’s the sort of thing you would see in a movie, but for us it was real life,” said the traumatised woman following the attack. The culprits managed to escape, but not before one of them, Anthony Corkovic, 35, was identified through blood left at the scene after a tussle with the husband who bravely tried to defend his wife.
FULL STORY: ‘Nightmare’ as couple terrorised in own home by masked men armed with baseball bats
‘Arrogant’ dad wouldn’t leave his child’s mum alone, now he’s in jail
Przemyslaw Tasak
(Image: Lancs Police)
A man who breached a restraining order within a month of it being imposed has been jailed for 16 months.
Przemyslaw Tasak, 32, was told to stay away from his ex after he was convicted of assaulting her at her home in Preston in October 2024. Within a month, Tasak was phoning and texting the woman. He later told the police he did not think they had broken up.
FULL STORY: ‘Arrogant’ dad wouldn’t leave his child’s mum alone, now he’s in jail
Bacup man and serviceman jailed for roles in drug conspiracy
A serviceman and a man from Bacup have been jailed for their roles in an organised crime group.
Oliver Harrison started working as a drug runner after leaving the military and falling into financial problems. He moved kilos of cocaine and heroin around the country, even agreeing to transfer a gun between members of an organised crime group.
The 34-year-old is one of two men who have been jailed for their crimes, after criminals’ chats on encrypted Encrochat phones during lockdown were discovered by law enforcement who hacked the network.
The other man was Peter Downs from Bacup, who was also sentenced. 47-year-old Downs was far up in the chain of organisation and was involved in wholesale purchase and distribution of both cocaine and cannabis.
FULL STORY: Bacup man and serviceman jailed for roles in drug conspiracy
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