The following cases were heard at Reading or Slough Magistrates’ Courts.

February 20:

HARRY NUTT, 26, of Goldthorpe Gardens, Lower Earley, indicated guilty to possession of a Class A drug on February 5 this year and possession of Class B drug on the same day. He was fined £653 and an order was made for the drugs to be forfeited and destroyed. There was also a victim surcharge of £260 and court costs of £85.

ATHONY WAREHAM, 42, of London Road, Slough, pleaded guilty to stealing £51.60 worth of chocolate from a Tesco store in Slough on February 20 this year. He was jailed for six weeks.

JAMIE PARR, 20, of Whitley Street, Reading, indicated guilty to possession of a butter knife in Elm Park Road on February 20 this year. He was given a community order to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity and an order was made for the knife to be forfeited and destroyed.

ANDREW WARD, 44, of School Road, Tilehurst, indicated guilty to breaching a non-molestation order by sending a letter to someone he was prohibited from contacting on September 17 last year. He was given a period of conditional discharge for 12 months. He will also need to pay a victim surcharge of £26 and court costs of £50.

CONNOR SWAN, 27, of Hawthorne Crescent, Slough, indicated guilty to assaulting a police officer on May 14 last year. He was given a community order to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activity and to refrain from consuming alcohol for 90 days. He will also be made subject to a curfew. There was also a victim surcharge of £114 and court costs of £85.

RICHARD HUDD, 37, of Crookham Hill, Crookham Common, pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman at Thornford Park Hospital in Thatcham on August 13 last year. He was given a period of conditional discharge for six months and ordered to pay £30 in compensation. There no order for costs.

SHARDAE BEECROFT, 18, of Langley Park Road, Iver, indicated guilty to assaulting a police constable by beating her on December 14 last year. They were given a period of conditional discharge for six months. There was no order for costs.

LUCAS REID, 21, of Dalcross, Bracknell, indicated guilty to possession of a Class B drug – namely cannabis – on November 11 last year. He was fined £100 and an order was made for the drugs to be forfeited and destroyed. There was also a victim surcharge of £100 and court costs of £85.

MARK SABLES-VASS, 42, of Ennerdale Way, Thatcham, pleaded guilty to drink-driving on November 16 last year in Midgham with namely 79 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. He was disqualified from driving for 36 months, reduced by 36 weeks and fined £200. There was also a victim surcharge of £80 and court costs of £85.

TE-SHAN THOMPSON, 23, of Hexham Road, Reading, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance on February 21 this year and driving without a licence. He was fined £120 and his licence was endorsed with six penalty points. There was also court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £48.

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A fundamental principle of justice is that it must be seen to be done. Open justice is acclaimed on a number of grounds: as a safeguard against judicial error, to assist the deterrent function of criminal trials and to permit the revelation of matters of interest