THE following cases were heard at Newton Aycliffe and Peterlee Magistrates’ Courts in the last week.

GEORGE MATTHEW JOHN BARNETT, 36, of Bradford Crescent, Durham, was given an 18 week suspended prison sentence for fraud. He submitted fraudulent timesheets intending to gain £2170.44. Barnett indicated a plead of guilt and was made to pay £2170.44 compensation.

BRETT ROBERT JAMES DRYDEN, 30, of Perkinsville, Chester-le-Street, pleaded guilty to driving his BMW whilst under the influence of a controlled drug which exceeded the specified limit. He was disqualified from driving for 16 months and ordered to pay £120 fine. He was also made to pay £32 to fund victim services and £85 to The Crown Prosecution Service.

SPENCER MCGEE, 28, of Tanfield Lea, Stanley, was found guilty of driving whilst disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving license. He was given a suspended prison sentence due to a ‘prolific record of similar offending’. He was made to pay £122 to fund victim services and £85 to The Crown Prosecution Service.

MICHAEL O’KEEFE, 24, of Buttermere, Sunderland, assaulted a police officer acting in the exercise of his functions. He indicated a plea of guilty and was fined £95. He was also made to pay ££2 to fund victim services and £85 to The Crown Prosecution Service.

ANDREW SHANE DUFTON, 18, of Seven Acres, Great Lumley, Chester-le-Street, was given a community order with a curfew and 15 rehabilitation days after he pleaded guilty to using or threatening unlawful violence towards other persons at Great Lumley. He was ordered to pay a total of £300 compensation, a £90 victim surcharge and £85 CPS costs.

COURTNEY OLIVER, 18, of Blumer Street, Fencehouses, admitted stealing four cans of lager from Park Road Service Station and was ordered to pay compensation of £7.

ANGELA PEART, 43, of Kirkfield Gardens, Stanley, pleaded guilty to driving a Vauxhall Corsa on the A691 when the proportion of a controlled drug, namely cannabis, exceeded the specified limit. She was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £120 and ordered to pay £32 victim surcharge.

JACK WILLIAM SHOTTON, 21, of no fixed abode, admitted three charges of driving a Nissan Micra on Hangingstone Lane on September 11 when the proportion of a controlled drug exceeded the specified limit. He also admitted driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and without insurance. He was given a community order with up to 15 rehabilitation activity days and disqualified from driving for 20 months.

STEPHEN ARMSTRONG, 35, of Church Street, Shildon, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order in Darlington and costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.

GRAHAM MCPHEE, 35, of Corporation Road, Darlington, admitted breaching a community order, made in November 2018 for a number of offences, by failing to comply with the unpaid work requirements. The original community order was revoked and he was given a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for a year, and must do 100 hours unpaid work within 12 months.

DANIEL PAINTER, 28, of Jarvis Road, Peterlee, pleaded guilty to harassment by sending hundreds of texts and phone calls to a woman between January 2 and 5 and to assault by beating against the same victim. He was given a six month community order with an alcohol treatment requirement and up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. A restraining order was also made. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and £90 victim surcharge.

ANDREW TERRY STEPHENSON, 29, of Corscombe Close, Ferryhill, admitted fraud by using a business bank card without authority intending to gain £950 for himself, in Shildon between August 30 and September 11. He was ordered to pay £950 compensation and given a community order with 60 hours unpaid work within 12 months.