These cases were heard at Reading and Slough Magistrates’ Court

April 15:

Peter Dale Edney, 41, of Canterville Place, Bracknell, admitted to drink driving and was fined £180. He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence for a period of 12 months and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

Cameron Gilbert, 18, of Lovel Road, Winkfield, admitted to drink driving and was fined £100. He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence for a period of 12 months and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

Luke David Thomas Hyland, 32, of Downshire Way, Bracknell, admitted to theft from a shop, namely stealing various items to the value of £61.40 belonging to BP. He received a conditional discharge of 12 months and was ordered to pay compensation of £61.40.

Jorge Paniagua-Alvarez, 41, of Revelstoke Road, London, admitted to two counts of theft from a shop, namely stealing clothing and beauty products belonging to Marks and Spencer in Bracknell to the value of £802.50. He was committed to prison for eight weeks, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to complete an Unpaid Work Requirement of 80 hours in the next 12 months. He was ordered to pay compensation of £516.50 and a surcharge of £115.

April 17:

Lukasz Krystkowiak, 36, of no fixed abode, admitted to theft from a shop, namely stealing alcohol, clothing and electrical equipment belonging to Sainsbury’s to the value of £128.50. He was committed to prison for 14 days, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £115.

Danny Albert Walker, 29, of Church Drive, Gloucester, admitted to using threatening/abusive words/behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress and possession of a controlled drug of Class B, namely Cannabis/Cannabis Resin in Bracknell. He was fined a total of £140, ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

April 18:

Rodney Ian Delroy Mendez, 49, of Christchurch Road, Reading, admitted to two counts of theft from a shop, namely stealing meat to value of £165.19 belonging to Waitrose, Wokingham. He was committed to prison for a total of 60 days. The offence was aggravated by the defendant’s record of previous offending. He was ordered to pay compensation of £92.10 and a surcharge of £22.90.

Daniel Chandler, 19, of Whitley Wood Lane, Reading, admitted to assault by beating, criminal damage to property valued under £5,000, taking a motor vehicle without the owners consent, using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance and driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence in Wokingham. He received a community order and will be required to take part in a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for a maximum of 20 days. He had his driving licence endorsed with six penalty points and was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £85.

Graham Paul Sydney Lovejoy, 30, of Beechwood Avenue, Woodley, admitted to racially/religiously aggravated harassment/alarm/distress by words/writing and two counts of assaulting a constable in the execution of his/her duty. He was fined £250 and received a conditional discharge for 12 months. He was ordered to pay compensation of £100, costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

A fundamental principle of justice is that it must be seen to be done. It is established in the UK that court cases should be heard in public. This principle of open justice is acclaimed on a number of grounds: as a safeguard against judicial error and as a deterrent to perjury.