Today, we bring you our final magistrates' court round up of 2023.
Last year saw many criminals hauled before the lower courts, and the run up to the festive season wasn't any different.
From a spitting blind man to a drunk woman, racist idiots to teenage menaces, December was as colourful in the magistrates' courts as it was busy.
Here's all the cases heard in Blackburn magistrates in the final month of 2023:
Accrington blind man spat in taxi driver's face and urinated in cab
A blind man spat in a taxi driver’s face, kicked and punched him and then urinated in his cab.
Blackburn magistrates heard Anthony Maughan had drunk 14 or 15 pints prior to the incident.
District Judge Alexandra Preston described his behaviour as “disgusting.”
Full story here: Accrington blind man spat in taxi driver's face and urinated in cab
Man's aggressive, threatening and racist e-mails to Burnley Council
A man sent aggressive, threatening and racist e-mails to staff at council offices.
Blackburn magistrates heard John Schofield later told police he was annoyed the council wasn’t doing enough to help him.
Schofield, 38, of no fixed address, admitted to sending four offensive e-mails to Burnley Council. He was made subject to a 12-month community order with 30 rehab activity days. He was fined £40 with £85 costs.
District Judge Alexandra Preston said Schofield sent the e-mails at a time when he was very upset about his situation.
Full story here: Man's aggressive, threatening and racist e-mails to Burnley Council
Police find cannabis grow in Burnley bedroom after tip-off
Police acting on a tip-off discovered a cannabis cultivation set-up.
Blackburn magistrates heard the potential yield from the 18 plants was around £5,200.
Mark Rawcliffe, 48, of Middlesex Avenue, Burnley, admitted to producing cannabis.
District Judge Alexandra Preston said there had been a considerable delay in the case coming to court and that had worked to the defendant’s advantage.
Full story here: Police find cannabis grow in Burnley bedroom after tip-off
Blackburn teen 'menace' driver jailed for numerous offences
A teenager who has repeatedly flouted motoring laws has been jailed.
Blackburn magistrates heard Haseeb Aziz had never passed a test or been insured to drive and repeatedly drove while disqualified.
Jailing him for 22 weeks District Judge Alexandra Preston said he was "clearly a menace on the road".
Aziz, 18, of the Blackburn with Darwen Foyer, Prince's Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to four charges of driving while disqualified and without insurance and handling a stolen motorbike.
Full story here: Blackburn teen 'menace' driver jailed for numerous offences
Police found drugs in car during Nelson petrol station stop
Police acting on drug intelligence hit the jackpot when they stopped a car at a Nelson petrol station.
Blackburn magistrates heard the officers discovered crack cocaine and heroin in the glovebox along with quantities of valium, morphine sulphate and pregabalin.
Paul Ludlum, who was the front seat passenger, admitted all the drugs belonged to him as well as a pizza knife which was also recovered.
Full story here: Police found drugs in car during Nelson petrol station stop
Van driver made passenger swap seats after M6 police stop
A man and a woman swapped seats after their van was stopped by police on the M6 motorway, a court has heard.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court was told officers were alert to the move and Thomas Maughan was charged with disqualified driving.
Maughan, 43, formerly of Queen Victoria Street, Blackburn, but now living in Keele Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, pleaded guilty to disqualified driving and driving without insurance.
Full story here: Van driver made passenger swap seats after M6 police stop
Man caught in stolen car 'didn't know it was nicked'
A passenger in a stolen car told police he didn't know the vehicle had been taken without consent.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court was told Chris Keenan admitted knowing the driver didn't have a licence, and District Judge Alexandra Preston told him it would have been perfectly obvious the car was stolen.
Keenan, 31, of Market Street, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to allowing himself to be carried in a vehicle taken without consent.
Full story here: Man caught in stolen car 'didn't know it was nicked'
Police found Bacup man sitting at a bus stop with knife
A man who was undergoing a psychotic episode rang police and said he was being followed and threatened.
Blackburn magistrates heard when police responded they found Damon Bell sitting in a bus shelter and they found a knife under where he was sitting.
The court was told the offence put Bell in breach of a suspended sentence order for a similar offence which activated a minimum six months prison requirement.
Full story here: Police found Bacup man sitting at a bus stop with knife
Blackburn's Bernard Rawtsron jailed again by magistrates
A prolific offender has been sent back to prison after he was caught stealing from cars.
Bernard Rawstron, of Leach Street, Blackburn, was arrested in Clitheroe during the early hours of Sunday, December 10, on suspicion of theft from a vehicle and also vehicle interference.
He was located after being tracked by the dog patrol.
Rawstron, 49, who was jailed by magistrates for six months in August and also banned from Whalley, for a series of break-ins across Whalley and Clitheroe, was charged with five offences and remanded into custody.
Full story here: Blackburn's Bernard Rawstron jailed again by magistrates
Banned driver got behind wheel of car because 'friend was taken ill'
A man was caught behind the wheel of a car just four months after he had been disqualified.
Blackburn magistrates heard Iblal Razaq claimed he had only got behind the wheel when his friend, who owned the car, was taken ill.
Razaq, 38, of Albert Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance.
Full story here: Banned driver got behind wheel of car because 'friend was taken ill'
Homeless man punched security guard by Accrington Poundland
A store detective was assaulted as he tried to recover stolen property from under a rough sleeper’s duvet, a court has heard.
Blackburn Magistrates’ Court was told the goods had been put in Matthew Weller’s belongings by the thief who then fled the scene.
Weller, 42, of no fixed address, admitted to assault and was ordered to pay £50 compensation.
Jackie Partington, prosecuting, said the incident occurred outside the Poundland store in the Arndale Centre, Accrington.
Full story here: Homeless man punched security guard by Accrington Poundland
Accrington drug dealer caught in the act dealing heroin
Police on duty in a known drug dealing area of Accrington saw a man lean into a car briefly and then leave.
Blackburn magistrates heard when police stopped the car they discovered wraps of heroin and crack cocaine.
When they searched the car driver’s home they discovered further evidence of drug dealing.
Jabbar Ali, 49, of Barnes Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin and crack cocaine and being concerned in the supply of both drugs.
He was committed on bail to be sentenced at Burnley Crown Court on January 5.
Full story here: Accrington drug dealer caught in the act dealing heroin
Drunk Blackburn woman attacked two random strangers
A woman who had been on an all day drinking session assaulted two random women for no apparent reason.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard both victims had been swimming at Edisford Pool in Clitheroe when they were attacked by Shannon Holt on May 20.
The court heard the first victim, a 53 year old woman, was grabbed by the hair and dragged into the road.
Full story here: Drunk Blackburn woman attacked two random strangers
Burnley man sentenced over early hours town centre scrap
Police responded when CCTV caught two men fighting in Burnley town centre in the early hours of the morning, a court has been told.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Callum Hart and the other man had a disagreement which they took onto the street on April 16.
Hart, 20, of Kimberley Close, Burnley, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence.
District Judge Alexandra Preston said the defendant’s behaviour reflected badly on him.
Full story here: Burnley man sentenced over early hours town centre scrap
Darwen fly tipper in court for dumping rubbish in Blackburn
A fly tipper was tracked down after his van registration number was caught on CCTV while dumping rubbish on the streets of Blackburn.
Blackburn magistrates heard Ryan Cunliffe had dumped a mattress, carpet offcuts and bagged general waste in an alley to the rear of Hollin Bridge Street.
The court was told Cunliffe had “no recollection” of dumping the rubbish in August 2022.
Cunliffe, 44, of James Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to depositing waste without a permit.
Full story here: Darwen fly tipper in court for dumping rubbish in Blackburn
Darwen man walked off after being handcuffed by police
A man in handcuffs walked away from police after they left him in an unlocked car.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard how when officers caught up with Karl Sharples he had cut through the link between the two “bracelets” which were still on his wrists.
Sharples, 35, of Sudell Road, Darwen, pleaded guilty to criminal damage and obstructing a police officer.
He was given a nine-month community order with a drugs rehab requirement and 15 rehab activity days.
Full story here: Darwen man walked off after being handcuffed by police
Blackburn drug addict admits shoplifting spree in town
A repeat offender was told it was up to him to decide his own future after being made subject to a suspended prison sentence.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Duncan Faller had admitted 11 shoplifting offences committed to feed his drugs habit.
Faller, 33, of Cherry Tree Lodge, Islington, Blackburn, admitted to those charges, and two of failing to surrender to bail.
Full story here: Blackburn drug addict admits shoplifting spree in town
Judge shuts down house from hell on 'nice' Burnley street
A district judge has granted a closure order for a Burnley house to provide neighbours with relief from anti-social behaviour.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard the house on a “nice” estate had become a magnet for drinkers and drug users.
Jonathan Jackson, presenting the case on behalf of Burnley Council, said the order was sought on a property in Wellfield Drive and was not an action against the female occupant.
“We are putting the victims, the other residents of Wellfield Drive, first and trying to give them some relief from a long-standing problem,” said Mr Jackson.
Full story here: Judge shuts down house from hell on 'nice' Burnley street
'Polite' Blackburn shoplifter stole due to motorbike debt
A "polite" shoplifter racked up 32 offences over the course of three months while stealing to "repay a debt out of desperation".
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Dean Green-Lynch walked out with property worth more than £2,000 in chocolate, meat, groceries, clothes, biscuits and tubs of Lurpak butter.
He was sometimes challenged by staff and while he was always polite and respectful never returned the goods, the court was told.
Green-Lynch, 32, of Moorgate Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to 32 charges of theft.
Full story here: 'Polite' Blackburn shoplifter stole due to motorbike debt
Darwen drink driver pinged by police driving too SLOWLY
A man attracted the attention of an off-duty police officer because he was driving too slowly.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court was told how John Lavery gave a roadside reading over three times the legal limit, but then failed to provide an evidential sample back at the police station.
Lavery, 34, of Victoria Street, Darwen, admitted to failing to provide a specimen.
Full story here: Darwen drink driver pinged by police driving too SLOWLY
Man hurled vile and homophobic abuse at police officer
A man who launched a tirade of vile abuse at police officers when they stopped a car in which he was a passenger has been jailed.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Omar Sharif told an officer what he would do to his wife his sister and his daughter.
He also made homophobic comments about the officer’s sexuality during the stop on June 14.
Sharif, 43, of Walton Lane, Nelson, pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour.
Full story here: Man hurled vile and homophobic abuse at police officer
Man attacked his ex-partner while she was asleep in bed
A woman asleep in bed was woken at 3am by her ex-partner punching her and accusing her of cheating on him.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Lee Campbell was refusing to leave and was shouting abuse about the victim and her children.
While she was on the phone to the police he approached and got hold of her around the neck.
Campbell, 29, of William Street, Blackburn, admitted to assault and criminal damage to a front door window pane.
Full story here: Man attacked his ex-partner while she was asleep in bed
Woman in dock over attempted murder of estranged husband in Clitheroe
A woman has appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged with attempting to murder her estranged husband.
John McKenna suffered a stab wound to his neck during an incident in the bedroom of her flat on Saturday.
Full story here: Woman in dock over attempted murder of estranged husband in Clitheroe
The court was told he had been helping his wife move into the property.
Ann Marie McKenna, 55, of Chatburn Road, Clitheroe, was sent in custody to Preston Crown Court charged with attempted murder and using coercive behaviour towards him between December 2015 and September 2023.
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