The following cases were heard at Reading Magistrates’ Court:

October 8:

Christian Matthew Kelly, 35, of Willow Street, Reading, admitted to stealing washing powder from a shop to the value of £31.45. He was committed to prison for six weeks, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay compensation to Sava’s, Reading. He was also told to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £115.

Desmond Raymond Williams, 49, of Barnwood Close, Reading, admitted to stealing six bottles of spirits to the value of £96. He was committed to prison for six weeks, with an immediate sentence imposed due to his previous record of offending. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £115.

Matthew Peter Axford, 27, of Purley Way, Pangbourne, admitted to possessing a controlled drug of Class A, namely cocaine, in Newbury. He was committed to prison for 14 days, suspended for six months, to run concurrently for an offence of failing to comply with requirements of post custodial sentence supervision. In the event of activating the sentence, the overall length would be 21 days. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £115.

Ricky Lee Robert Smith, 38, of Beresford Road, Reading, admitted to possessing a knife/blade/sharp-pointed article in a public place. He was committed to prison for a total of six months and the offence was aggravated due to the fact that the offence was committed while he was on bail. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £115.

Kirsty Dwan, 30, of Hawthorn Gardens, Reading, admitted to failing without reasonable excuse to comply with the requirements of a community order made by Reading Magistrates’ Court and was fined £50. She was also ordered to pay costs of £50.

October 9:

Danny Peter Heap, 26, of St Georges Avenue, Newbury, admitted to assault by beating and causing criminal damage to property valued under £5,000. He received a concurrent sentence of 24 weeks in prison, suspended for 24 months and the offence was deemed to be particularly serious due to a record of previous convictions of a similar nature. He must take part in a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for a maximum of 10 days and was ordered to pay compensation of £700. A restraining order was imposed by the court and he was ordered to pay costs totalling £300.

Mawuli Koki Acolatse, 49, of Byworth Close, Reading, admitted to breaching a non-molestation order and was fined £150. He was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

Robert James Norris, 37, of Chilcombe Way, Lower Earley, admitted to breaching a non-molestation order. He was committed to prison for 18 weeks, suspended for 12 months and was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months. He must also take part in a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for a maximum of 20 days. He was made to pay costs totalling £340 and a restraining order was imposed by the court.

October 10:

Darrin Lee Bull, 51, of Normoor Road, Burghfield Common, admitted to drink driving and was fined £450. He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 18 months, made to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £45.

Edgar Ribeiro Silver Moura, 37, of no fixed abode admitted to stealing chocolate from Poundland to the value of £182. He was ordered to pay compensation of £90 and a surcharge of £20.

October 11:

Kingsley Anthony Haughton, 42, of Barnsdale Road, Reading, admitted four counts of stealing items from a shop to the value of £490.81. He was committed to prison for 16 weeks, having failed to comply with probation. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £115.

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, as a deterrent to perjury, to assist the deterrent function of criminal trials and to permit the revelation of matters of public interest.