They’ve all appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centrestokesentinel Administrator10:34, 16 Jun 2026Updated 15:45, 20 Jun 2026Lee Ferns, aged 53, admitted two charges of possessing a class B drug.Here are the latest cases from the region’s courts:LEEK: Fifty-three-year-old Lee Ferns was handed a 12-month conditional discharge by magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre after he admitted two charges of possessing a class B drug. Ferns, care of Prince Charles Avenue, Leek, has 45 previous convictions for 95 offences and was searched by police in Leek on October 30.Prosecutor Alexandra Youster said: “He admitted he was in possession of a bit of weed and whizz. Police recovered a bag of herbal cannabis and three wraps of white powder. He was voluntarily interviewed. He admitted being in possession of cannabis and amphetamine.”The offences placed him in breach of a conditional discharge he received on May 8, 2025 for three charges of possession of drugs.Iain Haley, mitigating, said Ferns became homeless and the drugs were for his personal use. But he has been accessing addiction services and is now clean of drugs. He is now living in a caravan and volunteering at St Paul’s Church in Leek.Magistrates took no action on the breach of the conditional discharge. They sentenced Ferns to a 12-month conditional discharge for the drug matters. He was ordered to pay a £26 surcharge.NEWCASTLE: DJ Jonathon Chapman has been banned from the roads for 14 months after he was caught drink-driving. The 36-year-old had performed as a DJ at a Newcastle venue and was travelling home towards junction 15 of the M6 when police stopped him in Clayton Road, Newcastle, in the early hours of May 23.Prosecutor Alexandra Youster told North Staffordshire Justice Centre that information was passed to the police that Chapman may be driving under the influence of alcohol.Miss Youster said: “The driver was stopped. The defendant gave a positive roadside sample and was arrested and taken to custody where he gave an evidential sample of 48 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35.”Chapman, of Lansbury Avenue, Wednesbury, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.Andrea Wilkes, mitigating, said Chapman works as a carpenter during the day and is a part-time DJ. He travelled to Newcastle to DJ and had a couple of drinks early in the evening. He had his own intoxiliser, which showed he was under the limit but when he was stopped by police he was over the limit.Miss Wilkes added: “He realises he should not have had his drink early doors.”Magistrates fined Chapman £461 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £184 surcharge. His ban will be reduced by 14 weeks if he completes a drink-drivers’ rehabilitation course.BIRCHES HEAD: Drink-driver Oliver Hankey has been banned from the roads for 13 months. North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard the 24-year-old forklift truck driver was showing-off to a friend on the way home following a night at a snooker hall.Prosecutor Alexandra Youster said Hankey was stopped by police driving a Volkswagen Polo at speed in Park Hall Road, Longton, on December 5.Miss Youster said: “It was suspected he was under the influence of alcohol. He gave a positive breath sample at the roadside and was taken to custody where his reading was 43 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35.”Hankey, of Handel Grove, Birches Head, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.Andrea Wilkes, mitigating, said Hankey had two pints of lager.She said: “He and his friends were in high spirits. He realises now that is what alerted police to him. He accepts he was probably showing off a little bit because he had another person in the car.”Magistrates fined Hankey £426 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £170 surcharge. His ban will be reduced by 13 weeks if he completes a drink-drivers’ rehabilitation course.STOKE: Mum Rachel Gladwin has been hit with a £253 court bill after she assaulted her partner. The 33-year-old assaulted her victim following a row at their home on February 4.Prosecutor Lee Stone said: “They were shouting at each other. He said she shouted, ‘You are not going to see me ever again’. She was red in the face with anger. As she walked past she elbowed him causing him to be winded.”Gladwin, of Cornwallis Street, Stoke, pleaded guilty to assault by beating.Andrea Wilkes, mitigating, said the relationship was coming to an end.Miss Wilkes said: “She went upstairs to try to calm the situation. He stood by the door. She barged him out of the way and left. He reported the matter to the police.”Magistrates fined Gladwin £120 and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.BALL GREEN: Forty-four-year-old Lee Johnson jumped on a car roof causing £400 damage. North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard Johnson jumped from a seven-foot wall in Whitfield Road, Ball Green, on to a parked Ford Fiesta on May 25. Johnson, of New Garden Street, Stafford, pleaded guilty to criminal damage. Simon Leech, mitigating, said Johnson fully accepts he should pay for the damage. Magistrates ordered Johnson to pay £400 compensation.Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search
Five defendants in North Staffordshire magistrates
