They’ve all appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre
stokesentinel Administrator
07:39, 27 May 2026Updated 15:48, 31 May 2026
Andrew Wright, aged 45, admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
Here are the latest cases from the region’s courts:
LONGTON: Twenty-one-year-old Lucy Kelsall has been banned from the roads for 22 months after she failed to provide a specimen of breath for analysis. North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard police attended a report of a suspected drink-driver at Longton McDonald’s on May 6.
The lights were on and the engine was running when police arrived. The defendant was in the driver’s seat and there were two others in the vehicle. Prosecutor Helen Shipley said Kelsall was warned by police about failing to provide as she was not blowing hard enough to provide a specimen of breath at the scene.
Miss Shipley added: “She eventually provided a specimen of 106 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. She was taken to custody but did not give a specimen at the Northern Area Custody Facility in Etruria. She was asked if she had consumed alcohol. She said, ‘Yes, I will admit to drinking, but I was not driving’.”
Kelsall, of Sedgley Walk, Longton, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
Mike Kimberley said Kelsall does not normally drink and had too much to drink. They called at McDonald’s and one of the assistants witnessed Kelsall and called the police. Mr Kimberley added: “She is sorry.”
Magistrates fined Kelsall £120 and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge. Her ban will be reduced by 22 weeks if she completes a drink-drivers’ rehabilitation course.
CHESTERTON: Drug-driver Owen Thomas has been hit with a 16-month driving ban. North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard police saw a Volkswagen Golf on Leek Road, Joiners Square, shortly before midnight on February 8.
Prosecutor Helen Shipley said: “It activated the police system as it was not insured. The police turned around and blocked it in on Eagle Street, Hanley. The defendant identifIed himself. He was the only one in the car. Police could immediately smell cannabis. He said he had smoked cannabis 30 minutes before. He said he had driven the car because his baby was in hospital. A roadside drug wipe was positive for cannabis. He was taken to custody where he gave a sample of blood, which gave a reading of not less than 9 micrograms of THC, the cannabis breakdown, per litre of blood, against the legal limit of 2.”
Thomas, of Hadrian Way, Chesterton, pleaded guilty to drug-driving, driving without insurance, and driving without a licence.
Mike Kimberley, mitigating, said Thomas lives with his mum. He was having difficulty sleeping and takes cannabis to help him sleep.
Mr Kimberley added: “He received a call from his girlfriend to say their young child had been taken to hospital. He had no money on him. Stupidly he got in the vehicle and went.”
Magistrates fined Thomas £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.
LEEK: Twenty-five-year-old Jade Pointon has been hit with an 18-month driving ban. The single mum-of-two crashed into a neighbour’s car in Argles Road, Leek, at 9.45pm on January 3.
Pointon provided a positive roadside breath test with a reading of 106 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. Because her air bags had been deployed she was taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital where she gave a sample of blood. That gave a reading of 156 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, against the legal limit of 80.
The court heard a neighbour’s Nissan Note was damaged and written-off by the insurance company.
Pointon, of Argles Road, Leek, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
Sarah Bedford, mitigating, said Pointon made full admissions at the scene.
She said: “She is extremely remorseful. She may lose her employment at a care home. She is sorry for the distress and difficulty caused to one of her neighbours.”
Magistrates ordered Pointon to pay £150 compensation to her victim. Her ban will be reduced by 18 weeks if she completes a drink-drivers’ rehabilitation course.
MEIR: Banned driver Andrew Wright was caught behind the wheel after being stopped by police. The 45-year-old Bentley Motors worker was stopped driving a Skoda Fabia at Longton on February 28.
Prosecutor Lucy Allen told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: “The defendant immediately confessed to being disqualified from driving. He did not have a valid insurance policy for the vehicle. He was disqualified on March 18, 2025 for 36 months.”
Wright, of Old School Lane, Meir, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
Sarah Bedford, mitigating, said Wright made admissions at the scene.
Miss Bedford added: “His lift let him down and his girlfriend gave him permission to use her car.”
Magistrates fined Wright £461 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £184 surcharge. He was handed a 24-month driving ban.
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