Court Round-Up: The latest convictions to be heard at Harrogate Magistrates' Court

The following was heard at North Yorkshire Magistrates’ Court on August 14:

Joseph Pickles, 21, of Scotton Court, Knaresborough, received a 20-month motoring ban after he was caught driving while over twice the legal alcohol limit. He was stopped on the A168 Thirsk Road on March 19 when a drink-drive test revealed he had 72mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal alcohol limit is 35mcg. Pickles was fined £276 and ordered to pay £85 costs, along with a £110 surcharge.

The following were heard at North Yorkshire Magistrates’ Court on August 16:

Alin Ambrus, 44, of South Beech Avenue, Harrogate, was fined £350 and had three points added to his licence for speeding on the A168 at Marton-cum-Grafton, but there was no driving ban under the totting-up procedure due to mitigating circumstances. Ambrus was driving a Vauxhall Vivaro which was travelling at over the 50mph speed limit on August 28 last year. He was ordered to pay £90 prosecution costs and a £140 surcharge but there was no driving disqualification because he would lose his job without his licence, would find it hard to land another job and it would affect his family.

Diane Atkinson, 40, of Albany Avenue, Harrogate, was fined £50 for breaching a domestic-violence protection order which had been imposed for the protection of a named man. Atkinson’s latest transgression – she has contravened the 28-day order before – occurred on August 15 when she contacted the man in contravention of the court injunction. The order, which was requested by police, prohibits Atkinson from harassing, contacting and threatening the man with violence.

Neil Johnson, 58, of Eavestone Grove, Harrogate, was fined £50 for breaching a domestic-violence protection order. He breached the 28-day order on August 16 by turning up at the complainant’s address in Harrogate. The order prohibits Johnson from harassing, contacting, pestering or threatening the complainant.

Susan Shaw, 54, was given an 18-month community order for assaulting a named woman in Harrogate town centre. The offence occurred in Bower Street on December 13 last year. Shaw, who has a care-of address at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate, must comply with a six-month alcohol-treatment programme and complete up to 20 days’ rehabilitation activity as part of the order. Shaw, who has a record for violence, was ordered to pay £300 costs and a £114 victim surcharge, along with £100 compensation to the victim.

The following were heard at North Yorkshire Magistrates’ Court on August 18:

Lynn Campbell, 42, of Fountains Avenue, Harrogate, was made subject to a domestic-violence protection order to prevent her harassing a named man. The 28-day order prohibits Campbell from pestering, intimidating, contacting and threatening the man with violence. It also bans her entering Campion Grove, Harrogate.

Steven Hill, 41, of Lindley Mews, Harrogate, received a 12-month community order after he admitted fraud. Hill made a fraudulent representation in that, between June 28 and July 11, 2021, he took a deposit for a room at a property on Harewood Road, Harrogate, intending to cause loss to the named victim. As part of the order, Hill must complete up to 17 days’ rehabilitation activity. He was fined £500 and ordered to pay the victim £150 compensation. In addition, he was made to pay a £95 victim surcharge.