Alec Whitaker

Huseyin Akdar, 46, of no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court to allegations of assault by beating and threatening a woman with a kitchen knife in a private place at a former home in Barrow on January 18. He was granted bail and is due to appear at Preston Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing next month.

Police.uk data recorded 566 offences across four Barrow neighbourhood areas in June. Barrow Central and Hindpool had the most incidents, with 215, followed by Salthouse, Newbarns and Roose with 180, Parkside, Hawcoat and Ormsgill with 107, and Barrow Island and Walney with 64. Violence and sexual offences were the largest category in every area, accounting for 240 reports overall. The figures represent offences recorded by police, not convictions, and the broad violence-and-sexual-offences category includes incidents ranging from lower-level assaults to more serious crimes.

John Lawrence, 43, pleaded guilty to stealing two bottles of wine from Tesco Extra in Barrow-in-Furness and assaulting a security guard who challenged him. South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court heard that Lawrence punched the guard after taking a defensive stance. Given his previous convictions and existing community orders, magistrates imposed a 20-week sentence suspended for 12 months, along with rehabilitation and drug treatment requirements. He was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to the guard and £10 to Tesco.

Cumbria Police are appealing for witnesses after a large fire at Salthouse Mills caused significant property damage. The blaze, which occurred at about 6:45 p.m. on July 27, is being treated as suspected deliberate fire damage. Witnesses are urged to contact police online or by calling 101, or to provide anonymous information to Crimestoppers.

David Davies, 36, and Adam O’Brien, 27, appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court charged with jointly supplying cocaine and cannabis between October 2024 and March 2025. Both men also face charges of possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply. They indicated no plea, were granted unconditional bail, and are due to appear at Preston Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on September 7.

Chelsea Allen, 37, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court to stealing £109.32 worth of meat from the Co-op on Island Road in Barrow. CCTV showed her placing the items in a shoulder bag. Magistrates sentenced her to two weeks in jail and ordered her to pay £54 in compensation.

Daniel Waiting, 38, of Barrow, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place after a witness saw him expose his genitals near children playing on Ainslie Street. He apologised in court and said he had recognised a serious alcohol problem and was receiving support from Mind, Andy’s Man Club, CADAS and Alcoholics Anonymous. South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court fined him £135 and ordered him to pay £85 in costs and a £16 victim surcharge.

Self-employed electrical engineer Matthew Drury admitted assaulting a man and racially and verbally abusing two women while queuing outside a Barrow bar on April 6. After directing an ableist insult at an autistic woman and telling her South African friend to return to her own country, Drury punched the friend’s partner four or five times, leaving him unconscious and bleeding after his head struck the kerb. His solicitor cited intoxication, ADHD, remorse and an otherwise clean record in mitigation. Magistrates adjourned sentencing pending a pre-sentence report; Drury was granted unconditional bail and is due back in court on September 8.

Harrison Ainsbury, a 20-year-old Walney man, is due to be sentenced at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage, and racially or religiously aggravated common assault. He deliberately kicked a takeaway driver from his motorbike on Duke Street on September 18, 2024, causing the victim to fall onto the pavement. Evidence from Ainsbury’s phone showed the attack was deliberate and racially motivated.

Joan Thomas and her daughter, Nikita Thomas, admitted stealing food and other goods from Home Bargains and B&M stores in Barrow after Joan’s benefit payments were temporarily stopped for missed appointments. Joan admitted three theft offences and Nikita admitted one. Their solicitor said they had moved from Lancashire, were struggling financially, and took items for personal use. Magistrates fined Joan £80 and ordered £49.19 in compensation, while Nikita was fined £40 and ordered to repay £17.81.

David Gibney, 39, of Roose Road in Barrow, pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court to possessing 21 codeine tablets and 58 pregabalin tablets. He said the pregabalin was for a muscle condition and that he bought the drugs online after consulting his GP. Magistrates fined him £120 and ordered him to pay £85 in costs and a £48 victim surcharge; the tablets were also ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

Karl Miller of Barrow pleaded guilty to harassment without violence after repeatedly banging on doors, screaming at night and threatening a female neighbour and her family during a dispute. The court heard that Miller believed cameras had been installed to record him and that he and his partner experienced paranoia and mental health issues. He received a 12-month community order requiring 15 rehabilitation days, a six-month restraining order and a £114 victim surcharge.

Ethan Pickering, 23, pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court to causing criminal damage after throwing a man into a parked Dacia Sandero on Rawlinson Street in Barrow. Ring doorbell footage captured the incident, which caused an estimated £100 in damage. Pickering said he could not remember the act and that it followed an earlier altercation involving the victim repeatedly knocking and ringing his door. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay £100 compensation, £85 in court costs and a £16 victim surcharge.

Joan Milburn, the honorary president of Vision Support Barrow & District, has died aged 92. Remembered by CEO Craig Renton as a tireless advocate and “force of nature,” she supported people with visual impairments for decades after becoming a charity client in 1947. Milburn became a trustee in 2010, president in 2016, opened the charity’s Cavendish Street store in 2017 and continued leading chair-yoga sessions until shortly before her death. She also wrote an autobiography about her experience of sight loss and was praised for her resilience, independence, humour and willingness to challenge others.

Drew McWilliam, 46, of Barrow, avoided immediate imprisonment after pleading guilty to sending Facebook messages threatening to stab a childhood friend to death. The victim told police he believed McWilliam was capable of harming him and feared for his safety. The defence cited McWilliam’s brain injury, PTSD, probable bipolar disorder and alcohol misuse. Magistrates suspended an additional three-month sentence for 18 months, retaining rehabilitation and alcohol-treatment requirements imposed alongside a separate suspended sentence for possessing a hammer in public. McWilliam was also ordered to pay £625 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge.

James Herdman, 32, was sentenced after two cocaine-related drug-driving offences and taking a Peugeot 2008 without its owner's consent. He recorded cocaine levels of 237 micrograms per litre—more than 23 times the legal limit—and later 65 micrograms per litre. The Barrow resident pleaded guilty, citing poor decision-making and mental-health difficulties. Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work, banned him from driving for 28 months, and ordered him to pay £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

Jack Bowes, 25, of Tay Court in Barrow, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court. Police said he tried to evade officers and was found with cash and 24 snap bags containing cocaine. His solicitor said he had sold drugs to fund his own habit but had been drug-free for seven months. The case was sent to Preston Crown Court because magistrates lacked sufficient sentencing powers; Bowes was granted unconditional bail and is due to be sentenced on September 2.

Cumbria Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman was allegedly assaulted on Crellin Street and Bath Street in Barrow late on July 23 and shortly after midnight on July 24. Ciaran Light, 30, of Barrow, has been charged with two counts of assault by beating and denied both charges at Barrow Magistrates' Court. Police are seeking information through their website or by calling 101.

Adam Crowe, 35, of Ulverston, pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court to racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment and criminal damage after spitting four times in an ambulance while being taken to hospital and racially abusing a doctor. The ambulance was taken out of service and cost £500 to deep clean. Crowe received a six-month community order requiring five rehabilitation days, a £120 fine, and orders to pay £100 compensation to the North West Ambulance Service and £150 to the doctor.

Andrew Nield, 38, of Greengate Street in Barrow, is accused of indecent behavior at Barrow police station, including intentionally shaking his genitals and masturbating while aware he was being recorded. He is also charged with causing £150 of damage to a police cell belonging to Cumbria Constabulary. He was due to indicate his plea at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court.

Robert Fullard of Millom pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court to assaulting PC Luke Thompson outside the Tipsy Shamrock in Barrow and to two counts of possessing cannabis. The court heard that Fullard resisted arrest, threatened to bite the officer and bit him on the thigh. Magistrates sentenced him to 150 hours of unpaid work, 25 rehabilitation days and a three-month alcohol treatment requirement, and ordered him to pay £200 compensation, £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge. The bench warned that his continuing pattern of violent offending could result in imprisonment.

Leanna Cowman was sentenced after being found intoxicated and in charge of a Ford Transit van, then arrested the following day for driving a Peugeot 2008 while heavily over the alcohol limit, allegedly hitting a vehicle and nearly colliding with pedestrians and other cars. She pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a vehicle, drink-driving and failing to stop after a road traffic accident. The 50-year-old, who has no fixed abode, received a 12-month community order with rehabilitation and alcohol-treatment requirements, a 22-month driving ban, £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

Nigel Davenport, 66, pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court to assaulting a pharmacy technician at the Dova mental health unit in Furness General Hospital. The court heard that he placed both hands around the NHS worker’s neck and sternum as he was preparing to leave the unit, an incident she described as terrifying and unprovoked. Davenport, who has 37 previous convictions for 79 offences, said through his solicitor that he was distressed about his discharge, had not intended to harm the victim and wished to apologise. Magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report and granted him unconditional bail; sentencing is scheduled for August 18 at Burnley Magistrates’ Court.

Josh Webster, 29, pleaded guilty to exposing himself to a female custody sergeant and three counts of criminal damage after urinating in his cell at Barrow police station and smearing faeces on its walls. The cell reportedly cost £600 to clean. His solicitor said he had been hearing voices and was experiencing personal difficulties. Magistrates imposed a high-level community order requiring 300 hours of unpaid work, along with £600 compensation, £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

A police officer caring for 21 severely neglected dogs and a cat seized from Penelope Garner‑Carpenter was sent home to shower after becoming covered in fleas. Evidence presented at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court described the animals as emaciated, anaemic and kept in filthy, cramped crates inside a van and caravan during hot weather. One dog was euthanised due to its condition. Garner‑Carpenter was convicted in her absence of multiple animal cruelty offences, and a warrant was issued for her arrest ahead of sentencing.

A 66-year-old woman was convicted at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court of failing to ensure the welfare of 21 malnourished dogs and a cat found living in filthy, cramped cages in her van and caravan. A witness discovered the animals in severe neglect, reporting strong ammonia smells, untreated injuries and extreme emaciation. One dog was euthanised. The defendant had been travelling with the animals for weeks and was arrested after police seized them. The judge ruled there was prolonged, possibly deliberate neglect and issued a warrant for her arrest after she failed to attend trial.

The Brown Cow Inn in Waberthwaite is launching a budget campsite in its orchard, opening July 20. The site will offer low-cost, dog-friendly stays with simple facilities and optional vehicle charges. Guests can access pub toilets during opening hours, with portable toilets available at other times. The pub aims to add electric hook-ups in the future. Booking is recommended due to limited space, and payments are cash only.

Police are searching for nine-year-old Saoirse Shannon, last seen on Schneider Road in Barrow. Authorities describe her appearance and clothing and express concern for her welfare, urging anyone with information to call emergency services or submit details to police.

A motorist was fined £40 and given three penalty points after admitting to driving 36mph in a 30mph zone on Salthouse Road in Barrow. The prosecution dropped a separate licence-related charge, and the defence noted he had been following traffic and accepted responsibility. Court costs of £85 and a £16 victim surcharge were imposed by South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court.

A Barrow man, Ethan Wallis, received a 16‑week jail sentence for two assault-by-beating offences and admitted a separate charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent. The GBH case was sent to Preston Crown Court for August sentencing due to its seriousness. The judge cited his repeated violent, alcohol-related offending and disregard for court orders as justification for immediate custody.

More than 500 offences were recorded across Barrow in May, with violence and sexual offences making up the largest share. Barrow Central and Hindpool saw the highest number of incidents, followed by Salthouse, Newbarns and Roose, Parkside, Hawcoat and Ormsgill, and finally Barrow Island and Walney. Crime types included shoplifting, criminal damage, arson, public order offences, burglary, drugs and anti-social behaviour, with detailed totals varying by district.

A Barrow man was jailed after admitting to using a woman’s lost credit card to make £182.66 in contactless purchases and committing two thefts from Home Bargains. Already in prison on recall, he received a six‑week concurrent sentence and was ordered to pay compensation to Nationwide Bank and the retailer.

A Carnforth woman received a 25‑month driving ban and community service after admitting to driving with more than three times the legal alcohol limit. Police were alerted by a concerned motorist and arrested her after a positive breath test. She acknowledged drinking earlier in the day and expressed regret. Mitigation cited personal difficulties and steps toward addressing alcohol use. Magistrates allowed the option of a rehabilitation course that could reduce the disqualification period and ordered court costs and a victim surcharge.

A 64-year-old Barrow man, Ian Bridge, pleaded not guilty to breaching a restraining order by allegedly making indirect contact with the protected individual. The restraining order was issued in Blackpool Family Court in June last year. He appeared before South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on July 9 and is scheduled to return next month.

A Kendal man, Liam Christian, was fined after admitting to using threatening and abusive behaviour toward staff at a Go Local store, where he threw items, acted violently and demanded free goods. Prosecutors highlighted his prior record, while his solicitor said he acted out of character and was intoxicated. Magistrates issued an £80 fine along with court costs and a victim surcharge.

A woman was fined after admitting to driving 35 mph in a 30 mph zone on Salthouse Road in Barrow. The court heard she was detected by a speed camera and had an additional charge dropped. Magistrates issued three licence points, a six‑month unconditional discharge and a £26 victim surcharge.

A kitchen porter, James Ormandy, received a continued suspended sentence with an added 90‑day alcohol abstinence monitoring tag after admitting to urinating on a hospital wall and damaging a police cell in Barrow. The court heard he was intoxicated, confrontational, and shoved his safety suit into a toilet while in custody. His solicitor argued that activating the suspended sentence would jeopardize his accommodation and employment. Magistrates fined him and ordered additional costs while allowing the suspended sentence to remain in place.

Police found Joshua Chatburn in a running vehicle on Barrow Island and detected cannabis, leading to his arrest after a positive roadside drug test far above the legal limit. He was also found to be driving without a valid licence or insurance. Chatburn admitted the offences, saying he had moved the vehicle to avoid a parking ticket. Magistrates imposed a £240 fine, a 12‑month driving ban, and ordered court costs and a victim surcharge.

A Barrow man admitted driving with cocaine levels more than 23 times the legal limit after being stopped in a Volkswagen Golf on Maple Street. Magistrates adjourned the case to align it with two related matters, ordered a pre‑sentence report and imposed an interim driving ban. The defendant was granted unconditional bail and is scheduled for sentencing on July 22 at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court.

Several individuals in south Cumbria received immediate jail sentences for offences including assault, drug supply, burglary, sexual assault and driving while disqualified. Cumbria Police released custody images and secured orders in some cases, while courts issued sentences for violent, drug-related and property crimes across Barrow and surrounding areas.

A Barrow man, Cameron Gallagher, was stopped by police after speeding and was found to be over four times the legal drug-driving limit, with THC and traces of cocaine in his system, and without valid insurance. He pleaded guilty and his solicitor said he had driven only to run an errand for his partner. Magistrates imposed a 17‑month driving ban, 60 hours of unpaid work, and financial penalties.

A Barrow man was jailed for four weeks and banned from driving for over three years after being caught driving at 92mph while more than eight times the legal cocaine limit, with additional traces of cannabis detected. Michael Austin, who has a prior drug‑driving conviction and awaits sentencing for separate domestic violence matters, pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court. He must also pay a £154 victim surcharge upon release.

A 33-year-old man from Barrow, Jordan Bilton, has been charged with stalking and threatening a woman with a knife after allegedly making repeated unwanted contact and issuing a threat inside a property. He pleaded not guilty to stalking and possessing a bladed article in a private place. Bail was denied at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court, and a trial is scheduled for July 23.

A Barrow woman, Johanna Springthorpe, was ordered to repay £895.87 after stealing more than £21,000 from her vulnerable stepson and his girlfriend while acting as his carer. She previously received a two‑year prison sentence for fraud by abuse of position after leaving her stepson with only 10p. A Proceeds of Crime hearing determined she had minimal available assets, despite the total benefit of her offending exceeding £21,000. The judge ordered the confiscated amount to be split between the victims. Defence counsel cited remorse and partial repayments already made, while the victims described the significant loss of trust caused by the theft.