Court Round-Up: The latest cases heard by magistrates

Steven Patrickson, 34, of Hawthorn Avenue, Hebburn, was fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge, for breaching a restraining order.#

Andrew Joseph Usher, 35, of The Crescent, Silksworth, was given a 12-month community order and ordered to pay a fine of £80, a victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £85 after admitting a charge of sending a message to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety to another. He also admitted a charge of causing a nuisance by setting off a fire alarm.

Gemma Louise Glendining, 36, of Sorley Street, Sunderland, was given a 12-month community order and a three-month curfew, for between 10pm and 6am, after admitting failing to notify the local authority of a change in circumstances for housing benefit and failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change in circumstances for support allowance. She was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £45.

Macauley Alan Melvin, 22, of Wordsworth Avenue East, Houghton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without a licence, without insurance and obstructing a police officer in their duty, assaulting a police officer, possession of Valium and failing to surrender to custody. He was given a 12-month community order and placed on a five-month curfew. He was ordered to pay £85 costs, banned from driving for 12 months and told to pay £200 in compensation.

Michael Anthony Cain, 33, of Council Avenue, Shiney Row, was jailed for five months after admitting an assault. He also admitted damaging a mobile phone and breaching a restraining order. He was also found guilty of another charge of criminal damage. He was also ordered to pay a total of £1,220 in costs and compensation.

John George Scott, 43, of Carnegie Street, Sunderland, was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting breaching a restraining order and criminal damage. He was also placed on curfew for four months and ordered to pay compensation of £700, along with £85 costs.

Storm Simpson, 39, of Marshall Wallis Road, South Shields, was given a 12-month community order after admitting two breaches of a restraining order. He was told to pay £200 in compensation and £85 in costs.