IN COURT: The latest news and appearances from North Staffordshire's courts

BLURTON

Four men have appeared in court accused of conspiracy to commit arson. John Booth, aged 32, of Pembridge Road, Blurton, Javid Hussain, aged 45, of Hampton Court, Newcastle, David Powell, aged 31, of Waterside Drive, Blurton, and Lee Seaton, aged 44, of Hatfield Crescent, Blurton, all allegedly conspired to commit arson in Fenton and Meir Park between December 1 and New Year's Eve. They were sent to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court and will appear there on February 4. Magistrates remanded all four in custody.

BURSLEM

A suspected thief had his court case postponed due to ill health. Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre agreed to adjourn the case of Matthew Broughton, aged 35, of Woolrich Street, Burslem, who is accused of stealing chicken breasts worth £7 from the Co-op store in Wolstanton. He will next appear on February 7.

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BURSLEM

Margaret Berry, aged 30, of May Street, Burslem, pleaded guilty to theft of a mirror worth £29.99 from B & M, Longton, on October 20. Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre adjourned the case for sentencing on February 21.

HERON CROSS

Sentence was adjourned for reports until February 21 on 47-year-old Christopher Brayford, of Chilton Street, Heron Cross after he entered guilty pleas to disqualified driving on January 13 and January 15. He also admitted two offences of using a motor vehicle without insurance on the same dates. He was bailed by the magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.

KIDSGROVE

Mark Walley, aged 27, of First Avenue, Kidsgrove, who denies failing to notify a change of circumstances relating to his entitlement to benefit between June, 2009 and November, 2011 will next appear at the same court on February 7 when a trial is due to be fixed.

NEWCASTLE

Joanne Machin, aged 32, of Bamber Place, Newcastle, has pleaded not guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis, having no insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence at Newcastle on January 4. Her trial will take place at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on April 3. Magistrates granted her unconditional bail.

NEWCASTLE

Thomas Davies, aged 24, of London Road, Newcastle, has pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Steven Dunn, at Newcastle, on October 14. Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre adjourned sentence for reports and granted the defendant conditional bail until February 15.

NEWCASTLE David Hemmings stole aftershave from a shop while subject to a 16-week suspended sentence order, magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard. The defendant, aged 21, of York Street, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to stealing after shave worth £55 from Boots, Newcastle on January 16. He also admitted being in breach of the suspended sentence order. Hemmings must complete 100 hours in unpaid work and was ordered to do one-to-one sessions of the Thinking Skills programme. He must also pay costs of £85 and a £60 victim surcharge.

PITTSHILL

Police officers found cannabis when they executed a warrant at a house in Tunstall. Roxanne Gallagher, aged 26, formerly of Linwood Way, but now of Francis Street, Pittshill, pleaded guilty to possessing a class B drug on December 18. Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre fined her £110 with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

SNEYD GREEN

Terry Rathbone, aged 51, of Leek New Road, Sneyd Green, is charged with failing to notify a change of circumstances affecting his entitlement to disability living allowance between August 28 2000 and November 8 2011. Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre adjourned the case until February 15.

STOKE

Two suspected loan sharks have been released on police bail.As reported in The Sentinel yesterday, officials from the England Illegal Money Lending Team arrested a 31-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman is Stoke. They were being questioned in custody by team officers following the raid yesterday, carried out alongside city council officials.Now they have been bailed until Monday, April 22 while further enquiries are carried out.

TUNSTALL

A man accused of two burglaries at the same Burslem business has been committed to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Thomas Sidley, aged 20, of Greyshott Road, Tunstall, is accused of entering L & M Eurotrading in Newport Lane, Middleport, and stealing a quantity of tools in November. He is accused of burgling the same premises to steal metal, also in November. Sidley has indicated he will plead guilty at the crown court hearing and was bailed by magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. He will appear at the crown court on March 8.