Here are the latest cases from the region's courts:
BLURTON: Disqualified driver Liam Milton has been banned from the roads for six months after he was caught behind the wheel. The 27-year-old was seen by police driving a Ford Fiesta around Blurton in an 'erratic manner' at 11.30pm on August 27.
Prosecutor Suzanne Swindail told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: "They used their blue lights and siren to pull the vehicle over. However, it continued to drive on for 60 seconds, failing to stop at several locations. The vehicle came to a stop and he was arrested for failing to stop. Checks were carried out and it was found he was banned from driving. He was arrested for driving while disqualified and without insurance. A container was found on his person which contained a quantity of cannabis. It was for personal use."
Milton, of Emsworth Road, Blurton, pleaded guilty to possession of a class B drug; driving while disqualified; failing to stop when required by an officer; and driving without insurance.
Peter Howland, mitigating, said Milton was disqualified for 12 months on August 8, 2023. He said on the date of this offence Milton was unaware he had been further disqualified under the totting up procedure on September 18 last year. Milton has no previous convictions for driving while disqualified.
Mr Howland added: "He suffers from depression and anxiety and emotional unstable personality disorder. He is on medication prescribed by his GP. The reason he failed to stop for the police for 60 seconds was because he had cannabis in his possession, which he accepts was for personal use."
Magistrates fined Milton £240 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £32 surcharge.
BLURTON: Twenty-one-year-old Naglis Kisielius swung a baseball bat at a police officer who knocked on his door. The defendant answered his door at 10am on April 3 and immediately swung the baseball bat at the officer, narrowly missing his head. The officer jumped out of the way, lost his balance, and fell to the floor.
The defendant locked the door but officers surrounded the property and forced their way inside. They arrested Kisielius and placed him in a vehicle. He said, 'I wish I had hit your f****** head'.
Kisielius, of Almond Grove, Blurton, pleaded guilty to the common assault of an emergency worker.
Peter Howland, mitigating, said police had been called to an incident in Cemlyn Avenue, Blurton, which Kisielius had no involvement in. A man they were interested had run over fences and gardens chased by an officer.
Mr Howland said: "The officer had arrested the defendant's mum three months earlier. The officer went to that address because he believed the man he was trying to capture may be in the garden. He banged on the door at 10am. The defendant came down, recognised the officer as the officer who had previously arrested his mother. Tasers and leg restraints had been used on his mother. He answered the door and asked for a warrant. He accepts he picked up the baseball bat and swung it at him. It did not hit him. He accepts he was trying to hit the officer so he is guilty of an assault of an emergency worker."
Magistrates sentenced Kisielius to a 12-month community order with 60 hours unpaid work.
Magistrate Chris Rushton said: "This could have resulted in a very nasty incident. You missed, fortunately for you and for him. You did know he was a police officer because you had seen him before."
Kisielius must pay £85 costs and a £114 surcharge.
CHEDDLETON: Forty-year-old Leanne Russell, of Oak Avenue, Cheddleton, is charged with being the owner or person in charge of a Blue Tri Bulldog dangerously out of control on January 2 which injured a police officer. Russell will next appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on November 21.
TUNSTALL: Fifty-nine-year-old Alaister Crowley, of High Street, Tunstall, has pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children when he appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. He was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register on an interim basis and will be sentenced after a report is prepared on him by a probation officer. His bail was extended.
SANDYFORD: Twenty-four-year-old Paris Frost, of Broadfield Road, Sandyford, has pleaded guilty to causing serious alarm or distress by stalking between March 26, 2022 and October 5, 2022. She will be sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in November after a report is prepared on her by a probation officer. Her bail was extended.
