King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court deals with Sainsbury’s stealing sprees, ‘surprising’ breath test results and alleged scammers
Whether it was for drink-driving or stealing the ingredients for what might sound like an interesting cocktail, magistrates laid down the law last week.
At Lynn Magistrates’ Court, sandwiched between the many cases of those who consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel, was the hearing of Korben Mortimer.
He paid a number of visits to Sainsbury’s on the Hardwick Retail Park last month and was ultimately caught pinching two bottles of vodka, two bottles of Bacardi and two bottles of… screenwash.
Read more about his punishment, as well as others, below.
Supermarket stealing spree saw thief take vodka, Bacardi and screenwash
Korben Mortimer, 23, of Dawber Close in Gaywood, appeared unrepresented in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to three counts of theft.
The incidents took place between September 27 and 29 at Sainsbury’s on the Hardwick Retail Park, where he stole two bottles of vodka, two bottles of Bacardi, two bottles of screenwash and electric toothbrushes.
The court heard how Mortimer already had £1,500 in outstanding court fines for nine previous convictions, none of which were theft.
When asked why he decided to take up this type of crime, he responded: “For money”.
“I’ve done wrong. I regret it,” he said.
Magistrates handed him a compensation-only order, and he is set to pay Sainsbury’s £93.
Man arrested for pub fight just months after being caught with 1kg of cocaine
Jake Cully, 35, of The Oaklands in Swaffham, appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.
The incident took place at The Eagle in Lynn at around 11pm on September 20, when the defendant was kicked out of the venue.
When police arrived, he began shouting and swearing and said, “I’m not f**king happy” as he paced up and down the street, punching his palms.
The offence placed him in breach of a suspended sentence handed to him in June for possession of a kilogram of cocaine.
On Thursday, magistrates released him on unconditional bail and adjourned his drunk and disorderly case to be held at Norwich Crown Court. However, a date has not yet been confirmed.
Plasterer caught drink-driving claims he was hiding from domestic situation
Marek Czyzewski, 42, of Hillcrest in Great Ryburgh, appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
The incident took place at around midnight on October 3, when police found him parked up near a field on the A1065, just a few minutes from his home.
They had received reports earlier in the night that he had been drinking, then drove away from his house, hit a curb and fled.
Tests revealed he had 60mcg of alcohol in his system per 100ml of breath - the legal limit to drive is 35mcg.
Czysewski told officers he had been “attacked” and was hiding.
Magistrates handed him a 17-month driving ban. He will also have to pay a fine of £120, a £48 victim surcharge and £55 in court costs.
Gas engineer fired after police found him drunk in work van
Mark Anderson, 47, of Ryston End in Downham, appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle while intoxicated.
Police were called to the car park of mental health service Chatterton House in Lynn after staff reported the defendant trying to drive away after drinking.
When officers arrived, Anderson was on the phone with his wife to get her to come and collect him.
In mitigation, solicitor Tiffany Meredith told the court that the defendant had lost his job as a gas engineer due to the incident.
Magistrates handed him a £120 fine, and ten points were imposed on his licence.
Anderson will also have to pay a victim surcharge of £48 and £55 in court costs.
Man crashed car into curb three times before refusing breath test
Jake Howling, 26, of Love Lane in Wisbech, appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen.
He was pulled over when police received reports of him driving “erratically” in Lynn, and his car struck the side of the road three times before indicating incorrectly.
The defendant then refused to do a roadside breath test, and at the station, he stalled for so long that the breathalyser “timed out”.
After banning him from driving for 48 months, magistrates considered imposing a community order. However, as Howling works six days a week, they felt a financial penalty would be better suited.
As a result, he has been ordered to pay a £958 fine as well as a victim surcharge of £383 and court costs of £110.
Drink-driving tradesman ‘surprised’ by breath test - claiming he only had one beer
Shane Garner, 34, of Spenser Road in Gaywood, appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
He had been stopped by police in his White Ford Transit van at 10.20pm on September 28 after speeding on Woolstencroft Avenue.
Tests showed he had 50mcg of alcohol in his system per 100ml of breath - the legal limit to drive is 35mcg.
When questioned by officers, he claimed he had one beer at 4pm.
In mitigation, solicitor Tiffany Meredith said he was "surprised by the reading".
Magistrates handed Garner a 12-month driving ban as well as a £369 fine. He will also have to pay a victim surcharge of £148 and court costs of £110.
Woman attacked police as they tried to arrest her half-dressed
Jasmine Nicholls, 24, of Sydney Terrace in South Lynn, appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to three counts of assault on a constable.
The attacks took place on July 30 when police attended her home for a separate matter while she was "in a state of undress".
In mitigation, solicitor Tiffany Meredith told the court that Nicholls, who has 73 previous convictions, felt like a “frightened and cornered animal” at the time.
The incident put her in breach of a conditional discharge. However, magistrates decided not to take any action on this.
Instead, she was handed a 12-month community order and must complete 15 rehabilitation activity days.
Nicholls is also set to pay £75 to each officer for the assaults.
Healthcare service owner accused of scamming elderly clients out of £65,000
Rebecca South, 42, of Wootton Road in Gaywood, appeared in court on Thursday, and denied five counts of fraud by abuse of position and an additional charge of participating in fraudulent business.
The alleged offences relate to incidents where the defendant supposedly intended to take a number of payments for herself through her business Home Helpers - the highest of which was £21,867.50 - from pensioners aged 90 and above in Lynn and Dersingham.
Magistrates agreed that the case falls out of their jurisdiction, and have adjourned for a plea and trial preparation hearing on November 20 at Norwich Crown Court.
South has been released on bail with conditions not to contact any of her current business clients and not to take on any new ones.
Sign up for our In The Dock newsletter here to find out who has been in Lynn Magistrates’ Court this week.