WOMAN STOLE CHEQUES: A woman who struggled to deal with financial problems took cheques belonging to her employer and cashed them at Cash Converters in Birkenhead and Wallasey, Wirral Magistrates heard.

Claire Houghton, 35,of Rice Hey Road, Wallasey, appeared for sentence.

She pleaded guilty to two charges of making out cheques signed in the name of Digital Europe to make gain for herself in January.

When seen by police, Houghton said she knew at some stage she would get caught.

She had debts of £7,000 at the time of the offences.

Houghton was made the subject of an 18-month supervision order and must serve 100 hours of unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay £2,223 compensation.

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PRISON 'HOLIDAY CAMP': A 33-year-old man arrested by police commented: “I am not bothered because prison is like a holiday camp”, District Judge Michael Abelson was told at Wirral Magistrates Court.

Peter Ormond, of Hoole Road, Woodchurch, admitted theft of lager worth £4-69 from Bargain Booze and being under the influence of alcohol from which he was prohibited by an anti-social behaviour order.

The judge said Ormond had a bad record but clearly wanted help.

He was prepared to give him a chance but if he got arrested again he would be off to the “holiday camp”.

Ormond was bailed for three weeks for a pre-sentence report.

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ASSAULT PAIR FACING JAIL: District Judge Michael Abelson at Wirral Magistrates Court told two teenagers they should be under no illusions they almost certainly faced custodial terms.

Philip Byrne,of Parkside Road, Bebington, and Kurtis Davies, of Seaview Avenue, Eastham, both aged 18, admitted causing actual bodily harm to Nathan McKenna at Eastham railway station in December.

Prosecutor Helen Gathercole said Davies suffered a bloody nose when punched from behind and was told McKenna had been responsible.

The following evening the two accused and a third person boarded a train on which McKenna was travelling.

Words were exchanged after they got off at Eastham. Byrne threw a punch to the head of McKenna and Davies also punched and kicked him.

The judge said it was a nasty attack with kicking involved but he told the two it was very much to their credit they had pleaded guilty.

The accused were bailed until March 15 for an all options probation report.

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NOT GUILTY PLEA: Craig Stephen Beecham, 36, of Eastview Close, Prenton, was remanded on bail until April 12 for trial by Wirral Magistrates.

He denied being found drunk while having charge of a child under the age of seven at Prenton in early February.

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CULTIVATED CANNABIS: Wirral Magistrates kept all sentencing options open when bailing a 27-year-old man for probation reports.

John David Ferguson of Alwen Street, Birkenhead pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis in December, cultivating cannabis plants in October, and two matters of receiving stolen mountain bikes in July and October last year.

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CURFEW IMPOSED: A man detained for shoplifting commented: “I took the stuff. I have not had any money for four weeks”, prosecutor Lionel Cope told Wirral Magistrates.

Vernon John Little, of Bridge Street, Birkenhead, but who was living in Gilroy Road, West Kirby, at the time admitted theft of items worth £17 from Wilkinsons at Birkenhead and was said to be in breach of a conditional discharge for theft.

Magistrates imposed a nightly curfew between 7pm and 7am for the next eight weeks. Little had to pay £85 costs.

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STOLE CHICKEN: Jason Anthony Smith, 37, of Patten Street, Birkenhead, was remanded on bail until April 12 by Wirral Magistrates.

He admitted theft of a chicken worth £2-99 from Aldi at Birkenhead but denied assaulting a security officer on the same date.

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