HERE'S a round-up of some of the biggest court cases to have taken place in Carlisle and West Cumbria this week. 

Vulnerable 17-year-old sent to Barrow to sell heroin and crack cocaine

A TEENAGER from Manchester began selling crack cocaine and heroin in Barrow after drugs criminals threatened his family.

The 17-year-old wept as a district judge said he recognised that what happened to the teenager was a classic case of county lines criminals exploiting a vulnerable younger person.

At an earlier hearing, the teenager had admitted possessing the two class A drugs with intent to supply.

Jail for Carlisle hotel burglar who stole £8,000 watch

A LONGTOWN man has been jailed after he admitted burgling a Carlisle city centre hotel and stealing a valuable watch.

Mark George Kenney, 44, initially denied the offence, claiming that he had gone into the hotel to get water for a dog he was looking after.

But during an appearance before the city’s Crown Court, he changed his plea to guilty.

The court heard that the defendant committed the offence on April 20 after walking into the County Hotel on Botchergate.

Workington victim of 'savage' beating brandished hammer in street

A WORKINGTON man who was "savagely beaten" by a masked thug with a baseball bat reacted by returning to the scene with a hammer and a folding saw.

But 34-year-old Scott Foster’s decision to take the weapons on to the street outside his Salterbeck home on the evening of June 2 landed him in trouble.

Despite being a victim of the attack, Foster was later himself prosecuted for the weapons possession. He admitted illegally possessing in a public place a bladed article - the saw - and the hammer.

Carlisle sex offender's use of DeviantArt website lands him in court

A YOUNG Carlisle man previously prosecuted for having child abuse images was brought back to court for accessing a website whose title includes the word “deviant.”

As a result of his earlier offending, 20-year-old Nathan Brown is under a legal obligation to keep the police informed about websites or social media platforms that he subscribes to.

This is a condition of a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order that he was given in June of last year for offences of downloading indecent images of children. But on June 4 this year, police monitoring systems picked up information that Brown had accessed a social media website called DeviantArt.

Spurned partner risks arrest if he visits Hammond's Pond in Carlisle

A SPURNED boyfriend who is accused of 'stalking like' behaviour towards his ex has been banned from the Carlisle park where she walks her dogs. 

Carl Harkness, 51, who denies any wrongdoing, could now be arrested if he goes near to Hammond's Pond in Upperby under the terms of a strict five-year court order.

Cumbria Police made an application to a District Judge at the city’s Rickergate court for a Stalking Prevention Order, which is intended to give the woman involved tough legal protection.

Drunk Brampton man exposed himself to paramedic who was helping him

A BRAMPTON man who was found in a drunken stupor outside Carlisle’s railway station exposed himself to a paramedic who was trying to help him.

Adam Harrison, 42, who admitted an offence of exposure, was found clearly intoxicated and on ground, which caused concerned members of the public to call for an ambulance, the city’s Rickergate court was told.

Prosecutor Scott Parker outlined the facts.

Train passenger assaulted and swore at Carlisle rail worker

AN IRATE traveller who refused to show officials his train ticket yelled at and then assaulted a customer service worker at Carlisle railway station.

Ramsay Fraser, 20, denied an allegation of assault, claiming that he had been 'grabbed' by the man involved. But a District Judge rejected his claim, finding the defendant guilty.

A key part of the evidence heard at the city's Rickergate court was bodycam footage which showed the defendant reacting aggressively as station staff calmly attempted to persuade him to show them his ticket.

Carlisle woman, 27, traded puppies illegally for two years

A CARLISLE woman illegally ran a lucrative puppy trading business for almost two years, falsely advertising that she had a licence.

At the city’s Rickergate court, 27-year-old Tonicha Grady admitted a single offence of running the business without the required licence that all such breeders and traders must have.

She was prosecuted by Cumberland Council.

Sacked former police officer was drink driving in Keswick

A FORMER police officer whose career was ended abruptly after she consumed alcohol at work has admitted drink driving.

Laura Bailey, 30, was arrested on August 13 last year after her car collided with two shops in Keswick town centre, prompting calls to the police from concerned members of the public.

Silloth man, 36, arranged sexual encounter with child at McDonald's

A SILLOTH man tried to arrange sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy in a McDonald’s restaurant car park.

But 36-year-old Malcolm Bainbridge was unaware the person he was communicating with online during what became a highly “sexualised” conversation was an-undercover police officer.

The defendant, of Skinburness Drive, Silloth, admitted arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.