The Accrington Observer is naming and shaming criminals who have appeared before the courts for serious offences around Hyndburn during August.
- Two men have been jailed after an Accrington man was gunned down outside his home. Donovan Wallace, 24, of Lodge Lane, Lytham St Annes, and Jack Wilding, 20, of no fixed abode, were both found guilty at Preston Crown Court of conspiracy to commit murder and jailed for a total of 43 years.
- A thug attacked a former work colleague with a rounders bat at Baxenden Autowash, breaking his elbow. Jake Kirby,21, of Loveclough, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm at Burnley Crown Court and was given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years with a community order.
- A father-of-three who helped used his ‘expertise’ set up an 80-plant cannabis factory at East Side Spire Farm on Sandy Lane in Accrington has been jailed for 23 months. Bernard McMahon, 57, who was living at a separate flat on the farm, pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to being concerned in the production of cannabis.
- A benefits cheat said to have claimed he was ‘virtually unable to walk’ and needed help ‘getting in and out of bed’ was caught out playing bowls. John Larder, 63, of Burnley Road, Huncoat, pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to failing to notify the DWP of a change in circumstances affecting his entitlement to disability living allowance and will be sentenced on October 1.
- A man who evaded justice by fleeing to South Africa on the eve of a court trial has finally answered for his crime - eight years later. Wayne Abbott, formerly of Richmond Avenue, Accrington, pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to affray and breaching bail and was given a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years, ordered to pay £750 compensation, £650 costs and a £1,000 fine following the incident at Baileys Bar in October 2006.
- A fantasist downloaded 313 ‘degrading and repulsive’ computer-generated cartoon images of children to help inspire his own artwork. Andrew Whitham, of Worston Lane, Great Harwood, pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing a prohibited image and was given a three-year community order with the sex offender treatment programme and a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years.
