CHILD PORN CHARGES: Adam John Scaife, 28, of Alderley Road, Hoylake appeared on video link at Wirral Magistrates Court on offences brought under the Protection of Children Act.

He was further remanded in custody towards committal proceedings.

He faces 18 charges of making indecent photographs of children, one roll-up allegation involving 18,127 images, and two other offences concerning possession of an extreme pornographic image.

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SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR 82-YEAR-OLD BANNED DRIVER: A series of offences came to light after a pensioner was caught breaking the limit on a speed camera.

Peter Gallagher, 82, of Sandringham Close, Hoylake, appeared before Wirral Magistrates and pleaded guilty to two charges of driving while disqualified, two of not having insurance, the speeding matter and also making a false statement to obtain insurance.

The first banned driving offence came through the speeding offence and the second when he was seen at the wheel by a police officer investigating it.

Prosecutor Stephen McPeake said Gallagher was disqualified from driving in 2002 until passing a test, which he had not since done.

Gallagher told the police he drove every day to take his dog to the park.

He told the court he definitely would not be driving again. He had given his car to his son.

The chairman told Gallagher it was a very difficult case. There were lots of aggravating features.

They imposed a total of 16 weeks' imprisonment suspended for six months.

Gallagher must also maintain a nightly curfew between 6pm and 6am for eight weeks. He had to pay £85 costs and a new three year ban was ordered.

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TOOK MOUNTAIN BIKE: Magistrates kept all sentencing options open when bailing a young Wallasey man for reports before sentence.

Joe Kristian Kenworthy, 20, of Egerton Grove, admitted entering a flat area at Shirley Street, Wallasey and stealing a mountain bike on February 1.

He was seen by a witness riding away from the scene and was later detained by police who acted on a description given to them, said prosecutor Alan Currums.

Andy Slight, defending, said Kenworthy accepted he had been very foolish.

He had had a row with is girl friend and went to the flats looking for her. He could not make contact and took the bike to ride home. He had been drinking at the time.

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CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE: A woman shopper witnessed on cctv to pay for some scanned items at a Tesco store and not for others she had concealed appeared before magistrates.

Michelle Atkinson, 33, of Shiel Road, Wallasey, admitted stealing lipstick, bronzer and underwear total value £16 at Bidston in March.

The magistrates were told her arrest had been a traumatic experience.

She was granted a 12-month conditional discharge but had to pay £50 towards costs.

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NOT GUILTY PLEA: Brian Doughty, 57, of Slatey Road, Oxton, was bailed for two weeks by Wirral Magistrates for a trial date to be set.

He denied using threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour at Birkenhead on New Year's Eve and also on the same date common assault on the same complainant.

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