A TEENAGE drug dealer and a fraudster are among the defendants to appear in court this week.

Here is our weekly round-up:

FOUR fraudsters who stole more than £145,000 from a vulnerable relative to fund their lavish lifestyle have been jailed.

Scott Billington, Janet Billington, Keith Billington and Vicky Bailey were sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday, March 11, to a total of 11 years in prison.

Scott, 30, and 60-year-old Janet had previously been found guilty of fraud by abuse of position and possession of criminal property following a six-day trial at Chester Crown Court.

Their co-defendants, 34-year-old Bailey and 64-year-old Keith, were both convicted of possession of criminal property at the same hearing.

Northwich Guardian: From left, Scott Billington, Janet Billington and Keith Billington jailed for a total of 11 yearsFrom left, Scott Billington, Janet Billington and Keith Billington jailed for a total of 11 years

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A TEENAGER will spend two years in prison after dealing drugs to fuel his own drug habit.

A crown court judge deemed Mark Jones, of Peckforton Way, Northwich, ‘a classic case of somebody becoming dependent on and involved with drugs’.

The 19-year-old appeared in Chester Crown Court on Friday, to be sentenced.

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A 22-YEAR-OLD woman has been hit with a court bill of more than £200 after driving with no insurance in Northwich.

Courtney Crellin, of Eddisbury Way in Northwich, was driving along Soot Hill at midnight on July 7, 2021, when she was found to have no insurance.

Appearing in Chester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, March 16, Crellin pleaded guilty to the offence and was fined £120.

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A WOMAN has avoided jail despite attacking two police officers in Northwich.

Laura Thurston appeared at Chester Magistrates' Court on Friday (March 11) where she pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency service worker.

The 34-year-old was arrested and charged with the offences, which took place on December 16 last year.

When Thurston, of John Nicholas Crescent, Ellesmere Port, committed the offence she was already serving a community order handed down by the court on April 7, 2021, for a similar offence.

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A DRINK-DRIVER caught more than twice the legal alcohol limit has avoided a ban.

Dimesh Kochhar, of Orwell Close, Wilmslow, admitted having 91 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at Manchester Magistrates Court on March 10.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The 61-year-old failed a breath test on January 21 this year when he was driving a BMW on Manor Road in Cheadle Hulme.

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A MAN who set up a false domain name online to fraudulently take money from a solicitors firm has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Jake Barnes, of Orchid Close in Wilmslow, took more than £32,000 from Watermans Solicitors in Edinburgh after a business relationship between them went sour.

The 30-year-old appeared in Chester Crown Court on Thursday, March 17, where prosecutor John Oates told the court how Barnes used to supply the personal injury firm with possible claims.

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A KNUTSFORD man has avoided jail despite attacking a woman.

Simon Lovatt, of Springwood Avenue, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating at Chester Magistrates' Court on Monday, March 14.

The 45-year-old had committed the offences just two days prior on March 12.

Taking his guilty plea into account, magistrates handed him a 12-week prison sentence, but suspended it for two years.

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A MAN changed his plea and admitted he assaulted a woman ahead of a trial at court.

Aaron Lee Roberts, of Ringstead Close, Wilmslow, had initially denied attacking the woman in Handforth on October 6 last year.

But when appearing at Chester Magistrates' Court on March 15, the 38-year-old changed his plea to guilty.

Magistrates fined Roberts £650 as punishment for the offence.

Read more here.