The following cases were heard at Reading or Slough Magistrates’ Courts

-

April 10 to 17

JOSEPH HIGHWOOD, 35, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to stealing three bottles of spirit from Tesco in Newbury on April 5 this year to the value of £101. He was jailed for six weeks due to his ‘flagrant disregard for people and their property’ and his previous record. There were no order for costs.

KEVIN AKASSOU, 21, of Mount Vernon Park, Belfast, indicated guilty to possessing a knife in Ringmead, Bracknell on December 5 last year. He was given a 20 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months as well ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. An order was also made for the knife to be forfeited and destroyed. There were also court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £156.

DANIEL BATEMAN, 39, of Mount Lane, Bracknell, was found guilty of stealing a pack of cocktails to the value of £9.25 from BP Bracknell Service Station on November 20 last year as well as five bottle of champagne on December 13 last year from the same station. He was jailed for 22 weeks.

JOSEPH HUGHES, 49, of Towerhill, Guildford, pleaded guilty to drug driving in Reading on December 11 last year. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £100. There were no order for costs.

RALPH JEFFERY, 53, of Kings Ride, Camberly, Wokingham, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified on March 4 this year in Finchampstead. He was given a community order to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activity and was disqualified from driving for 24 months. There was no order for costs.

BARRY MCLARNON, 37, of Woodland Grove, Ballymena, County Antrim, pleaded guilty to drink driving on London Road, Bracknell on March 24 this year with namely 68 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. He was fined £120 and disqualified from driving for 18 months, reduced by 18 weeks. There were also court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £48.

KIRK SHEPHERD, 32, of Camelford Close, Reading, pleaded guilty to wilfully obstructing a police constable in the execution of his duty in Reading on March 25 this year. He was given a period of conditional discharge for 18 months. There were also court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £26.

IAN KINTON, 56, of Hall Lane, Brinsley, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis at Loddon Valley Police Station on March 25 this year. He was disqualified from driving for 16 months, reduced by 16 weeks and fined £461. There were also court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £184.

PETER HOPKINS, 49, of Burgh Close, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle while above the alcohol limit in Bath Road, Maidenhead on March 26 this year with namely 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. He was fined £700 and his driving record was endorsed with 10 penalty points. There were also court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £280.

-

A fundamental principle of justice is that it must be seen to be done. Open justice is acclaimed on a number of grounds: as a safeguard against judicial error, to assist the deterrent function of criminal trials and to permit the revelation of matters of interest