From threats to kill, wasting police time and burglary, to assault, being drunk and disorderly and racial abuse - Blackburn Magistrates' Court saw it all last month.
We covered multiple cases in the lower courts, and saw 16 East Lancashire criminals brought to justice.
So in case you missed any, here is a round up of the stories behind the crimes from November 2022.
Jail term for Blackburn's serial '999' timewaster
A man who repeatedly contacts emergency services, causing a massive drain on resources, has been jailed.
Blackburn magistrates heard Lance Cook had been making time wasting calls for more than eight years and had numerous previous convictions arising out of his behaviour.
The latest offences, involving more than 100 calls, had cost the ambulance service alone an estimated £15,000.
The police, fire and social services had also been put to “massive” inconvenience.
Full story here: Jail term for Blackburn's serial '999' timewaster
'Kill threats' made to flats neighbour in Accrington
A man forced entry into a neighbour’s flat and put him in fear of violence.
Blackburn magistrates heard Jordan Jones stood over the shocked victim and said he was going to kill him.
Jones, 25, of Eastgate, Accrington, pleaded guilty to assaulting Reece Goldie and damaging a door belonging to him. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.
Charges of racially aggravated assault, criminal damage and threats to kill were withdrawn.
Full story here: 'Kill threats' made to flats neighbour in Accrington
Man on Morecambe seaside stroll beaten up by Burnley woman
A man walking on Morecambe promenade was attacked for no reason by a Burnley woman.
Blackburn magistrates heard Kirsty Bridge punched the victim three or four times and when he fell to the floor kicked him and stamped on his head.
Bridge, 32, of Hollin Greave Road, Burnley, pleaded guilty to assault.
Imposing an immediate prison sentence District Judge Alex Boyd said it had been a "very unpleasant and serious" offence.
Full story here: Man on Morecambe seaside stroll beaten up by Burnley woman
Vodka-swilling man weaving in and out of traffic near Royal Blackburn
A man was seen walking in and out of traffic after leaving Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Blackburn magistrates heard Luke Threlfall was "highly intoxicated" and had a bottle of vodka in his hand.
Threlfall, 27, of Walmsley Street, Rishton, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly on Shadsworth Road.
Bilal Saed, prosecuting, said when police arrived Threlfall refused to listen to them and was abusive.
Full story here: Vodka-swilling man weaving in and out of traffic near Royal Blackburn
'Foaming at the mouth' Blackburn woman's torrent of abuse in takeaway
A woman who was foaming at the mouth spat at a police officer as she was being arrested.
Blackburn magistrates heard Vicky Archer had racially abused a takeaway worker and then turned on the police officer who attended.
Her barrage of abuse included the words Arab, Turkish and Pakistani.
Archer, 44, of Wensley Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to using racially aggravated threatening behaviour towards Madani Jan and racially aggravated assault of PC Zakarya Anwar.
Full story here: 'Foaming at the mouth' Blackburn woman's torrent of abuse in takeaway.
Eagle-eyed Burnley milkman reported man with balaclava in early hours
A man in a van roused the suspicion of a milkman doing his early morning round because he was wearing a balaclava.
Blackburn magistrates heard Joseph Phillips claimed he had entered the van to get his head down but accepted routing through the glove box.
Phillips, 52, of Mitre Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to vehicle interference. He was sentenced to four weeks in prison for the offence and a further16 weeks for being in breach of a suspended prison sentence.
Graeme Tindall, prosecuting, said the suspended prison sentence had been imposed in October 2021 but the operational period had been extended in June when Phillips was convicted of attempted theft.
Full story here: Eagle-eyed Burnley milkman reported man with balaclava in early hours
Blackburn gas addict flicked cigarette at shopkeeper
A woman blew cigarette smoke in a shopkeeper's face and then threw the cigarette at him in a dispute over her change.
Blackburn magistrates heard Rebecca Stevenson the spat at the shop owner before picking up a sweatshirt and a pair of sun glasses and leaving without paying for them.
Stevenson, 24, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to assaulting Usman Bahi and theft of a sweatshirt and sunglasses belonging to him.
Scott Parker, prosecuting, said Stevenson had been into the Welcome Store on Northgate, Blackburn, and purchased some butane gas.
Full story here: Blackburn gas addict flicked cigarette at shopkeeper
Blackburn parrot thief avoids 'doing bird' over snatch
A man who pinched a parrot in a sneak in burglary has avoided being caged himself.
Blackburn magistrates heard the offences had been a blip in Terence Johnston’s recent history and suspended a prison sentence.
Johnston, 46, of Fawcett Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to burglary and theft of an Amazon parrot worth £1,800 and burglary and theft of laptops, a cheque book and tools worth £1,400 from JK Auto Hybrids Ltd, Hollin Bank Street, Blackburn.
Full story here: Blackburn parrot thief avoids 'doing bird' over snatch
Bacup man threatened with brick by his neighbour
A woman threw a brick at a neighbour’s car and then threatened to smash it into his face.
Blackburn magistrates heard that two weeks later she was caught on camera taking a hammer to his vehicle, causing £1,600-worth of damage.
The court heard that Collette Smith, 51, had no previous convictions, and Robin Phoenix, defending, said there had been significant provocation at a time when she was under extreme emotional stress.
Smith, 51, of Alma Street, Bacup, pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal damage.
Full story here: Bacup man threatened with brick by his neighbour
Accrington Police Station car 'stamper' in 'cry for help'
A man entered a police station yard and jumped on the roof of a police car.
Blackburn magistrates heard that after stamping on the blue emergency light bar Scott Gath jumped on the roof of another police car and repeated the performance.
The court was told the “bizarre” incident had been a 'cry for help'.
Gath, 34, of Rossall Terrace, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal damage.
Full story here: Accrington Police Station car 'stamper' in 'cry for help'
Accrington paedophile failed to tell new partner about order
A convicted sex offender with a "clear sexual interest" in children failed to tell his new partner about his record.
Blackburn magistrates heard Karl Christopher Wilson didn't tell he was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention order even when she said her two year old great-niece often visited and stayed over.
The court was told the child fell asleep during a Christmas Day visit and when she started to wake he offered to go and check on her.
Wilson, 52, of Avenue Parade, Accrington, pleaded guilty to breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order by attempting to contact a child under 16 and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements to inform police when he was staying at a different address.
He was committed on bail to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced after District Judge Alex Boyd said his powers of punishment were insufficient.
Full story here: Accrington paedophile failed to tell new partner about order
Drug money refusal led to woman's railway station assault
An estranged couple met on Mill Hill railway station after she travelled by rail from Lancaster to Blackburn.
Blackburn magistrates heard their brief encounter ended in violence with Kelvin Ashley Parkinson threatening to throw her on the tracks before ragging her around by her hair after she refused to give him money for drugs.
Parkinson, 34, of Melbourne Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to assault and two charges of breaching a restraining order.
Full story here: Drug money refusal led to woman's railway station assault
Burnley restraining order man's angle grinder threats
A man breached a restraining order by turning up at his mum's home.
Blackburn magistrates heard Martin Thomas Rickwood was also banned from having any contact with her partner but during the visits threatened to attack his car with an angle grinder.
He said he would also attack his mother's partner.
Rickwood, 40, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a restraining order by entering Greenock Street, Burnley, and having contact with Mark Noble twice on the same day.
Full story here: Burnley restraining order man's angle grinder threats
Bereaved man fled scene of Blackburn road crash
A man reeling from two bereavements in quick succession left the scene of a car crash.
Blackburn magistrates heard Trevor John Walton saw the other driver was irate and didn't feel emotionally strong enough for a roadside confrontation.
Walton, 52, of Snape Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after a road traffic collision.
Sameena Chaudhry, prosecuting, said the collision occurred at 5.30 pm at the junction of Bolton Road and Jack Walker Way.
Full story here: Bereaved man fled scene of Blackburn road crash
Paul Halliday sentenced disability hate crime at Bacup Morrisons
A young woman who suffers from Tourette's was subjected to vile abuse after an involuntary tic caused her hand to brush against a businessman’s arm.
Blackburn magistrates heard that during the rant healthcare firm boss Paul Nicholas Halliday called the victim a “spaz” and said, “people like you shouldn’t be let out.”
He continued with a tirade of abuse despite her friend trying to intervene and eventually a member of staff at Morrisons store in Bacup intervened and threatened to bar him if he didn’t stop, the court was told.
Full story here: Paul Halliday sentenced disability hate crime at Bacup Morrisons
Blackburn burglar left blood all over after break-in
A burglar bled all over the house after smashing a window to gain entry.
Blackburn magistrates heard John Francis Marston had originally entered the unoccupied property to get his head down but ended up stealing property.
Marston, 40, of Canterbury Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to burglary at a house on Blackburn Road, Darwen, and theft of two gaming consoles. He was jailed for 12 months and ordered to pay £1,000 compensation on release.
The chairman of the magistrates said it was a serious offence which had a serious impact on the victim.
Full story here: Blackburn burglar left blood all over after break-in
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