Chester Magistrates' Court Sentencing Results

Carl Edwards initiated a six-hour stand-off with police outside the Portal in Ellesmere Port on March 17, 2024. He called 999, identifying himself and stating his intent to set himself on fire using a jerrycan of petrol and a lighter inside a white Vauxhall Insignia parked to block a car park on Wellington Road. He was protesting the Department for Work and Pensions removing his benefits and had additional items in the car, including other lighters, a box of matches, and a baseball bat. This caused the evacuation of the Portal, considerable disruption, and endangered emergency workers due to petrol vapours.

Jonathan Hughes drove a car on April 30, 2024, while disqualified from driving until July 2026 and without insurance. He was spotted by police on Rossmore Road and Westminster Road, attempted to switch seats with the passenger upon being stopped, and gave a 'no comment' interview. At the time, he was helping a pregnant friend transport a second-hand washing machine.

Harry Newton-Jones was found in the back of his broken-down vehicle on the A55 in Chester on February 22, 2024, with a breath alcohol reading of 83mcg per 100ml, more than twice the legal limit, and drugs in his system (cocaine at 25mcg per 100ml of blood and cannabis at 3.4mcg). Police also discovered six white bags of powder on his person. He had recently split from his partner, which led to his actions, and he works in construction seeking a promotion.

On September 11, 2023, Cheshire Police officers were called to Faye Rochford's property in Ellesmere Port due to reports of an XL-Bully dog living there. The dog, named Luna, was being walked without a muzzle and was unneutered. Rochford struggled to put a harness on Luna in the back garden and admitted the dog was hard to train and control. Luna was later assessed by a police expert as wary but not aggressive, eventually showing a friendly nature. Defence clarified Luna is a pitbull terrier, a banned breed, though Rochford had registered her as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier unaware of the ban.

On August 17, Matthew Hill was driving at speed on the A55, weaving through traffic, and made a last-minute manoeuvre to exit the road. He was pulled over by police, who found him over the legal alcohol limit with a breath test reading of 57mcg per 100ml of breath. He was arrested and has no prior convictions.

On June 14, 2023, officers from Cheshire West Trading Standards and Cheshire Police inspected Kubus Mini Market at 20 Frodsham Street, Chester, where they discovered illegal cigarettes concealed behind a fob-activated shutter. The products included cigarettes without required health warnings and counterfeit items. This followed a test purchase that raised suspicions due to the low price of £5 for a pack of cigarettes.

On July 26, 2023, Benjamin Jones, while drunk in the Red Door bar in St John Street, Chester, touched the head of a victim who has alopecia, leading to a confrontation. Door staff intervened, and outside the bar, Jones pushed the victim in the face, causing him to fall onto his partner and the floor, resulting in swelling. Jones was also abusive to police when they arrived, leading to his arrest.

John Bloor, 49, of Parkfield Road, Northwich, was in possession of a fake firearm (BB gun) in the area around his home on Friday, September 19. He was arrested by armed police following reports of a man on a bike with a black gun. The arrest was a response to protect the community from potential harm.