Chorley's week in court: these are the names of the 20 people from the town who were convicted of crimes at Preston Magistrates' Court during the week of March 6

Every week, Preston Magistrates Court releases the names and details of people who have been convicted and sentenced over crimes they have committed in the Preston and central Lancashire. The details of these offences are also included in the data.

Here are the 20 people from the Chorley area convicted of summary offences at Preston Magistrates during the week beginning March 6 (sentences from people from Leyland during the same week are HERE).

Names of people from Chorley who have appeared at Preston Magistrates Court

Jack James Hookdale, 29, Devonshire Road: assaulted Carrie Maher by beating her - four months imprisonment, £520 compensation, £500 costs.

Andrew Boyes, 41, Moor Road: drove a motor vehicle on a road, namely Higher House Lane, after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in your breath, namely 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - banned from driving for 18 months, £400 fine, £160 surcharge, £80 costs.

Sharon Kemp, 49, Cameron Croft: when suspected of having driven a vehicle and having been required to provide a specimen or specimens of breath for analysis in the course of an investigation into whether you had committed an offence failed without reasonable excuse to do so - 12 months community order, £230 fine, £114 surcharge, £85 costs, banned from driving for 30 months.

Glen Buckley, 62, Eldon Street: driving without insurance, £392 fine, £156 surcharge, £90 costs, seven penalty points on driving licence.

Abbie Halsall, 28, Gloucester Road: driving without insurance - £660 fine, £264 surcharge, £90 costs, six penalty points on driving licence.

Ryan Smart-Stanton, 31, Rock Villa Road: drove on a restricted road, namely Sheep Hill Lane, Clayton-le-Woods, at a speed exceeding 30 miles per hour - £269 fine, £107 surcharge, £90 costs, three penalty points on driving licence.

Jamie Cocker, 24, Geoffrey Street: having been required by police failed to give information relating to the identification of the rider of a vehicle who was alleged to have been guilty of an offence - £180 fine, £72 surcharge, £90 costs, banned from driving for six months.

Stephen Van Den Berg-Owens, 31, Geoffrey Street: having been required by police failed to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle who was alleged to have been guilty of an offence - £660 fine, £264 surcharge, £90 costs, banned from driving for six months.

Andrew Lee Coleman, 31, Station Road, Coppull: when suspected of having driven a vehicle and having been required to provide a specimen or specimens of breath for analysis failed to do so - committed to prison for four months suspended for two years, £154 surcharge, £85 costs, banned from driving for four years.

Charlene Masterson, 36, Buckshaw Hall Close: driving without insurance - £80 fine, £34 surcharge, £60 costs, six penalty points on driving licence.

Andrew McMullan, 52, Duxbury Gardens: drove a motor vehicle on a restricted road at a speed exceeding 30 miles per hour - £207 fine, £82 surcharge, £90 costs, three penalty points on driving licence.

Hannah Ruth Winstanley, Radburn Close, Clayton-Le-Woods: drove a motor vehicle on a restricted road, namely Sheep Hill Lane at a speed exceeding 30 miles per hour - £33 fine, £34 surcharge, £33 costs, three penalty points on driving licence.

Alex Catterall, 19, Buttermere Avenue: having made a rail journey between Chorley and Preston failed, on request by an officer or servant of the railway company, to produce and deliver up a ticket showing that your fare was paid or to pay the fare - £146 fine, £6.50 compensation, £58 surcharge, £150 costs.

Cheryl Margaret Louise Gallagher, Sunningdale Drive, Buckshaw Village: having made a rail journey between Chorley and Preston failed, on request by an officer or servant of the railway company, to produce and deliver up a ticket showing that your fare was paid or to pay the fare - £220 fine, £6.50 compensation, £58 surcharge, £150 costs.

John Michael Johns, 54, Southport Road: having made a rail journey between Chorley and Preston failed, on request by an officer or servant of the railway company, to produce and deliver up a ticket showing that your fare was paid or to pay the fare - £220 fine, £6.50 compensation, £58 surcharge, £150 costs.

Dean Leach, Westminster Road: having made a rail journey between Chorley and Preston failed, on request by an officer or servant of the railway company, to produce and deliver up a ticket showing that your fare was paid or to pay the fare - £20 fine, £6.50 compensation, £58 surcharge, £150 costs.

Kirsty Wilson, 31, Mill Lane, Coppull: having made a rail journey between Chorley and Preston failed, on request by an officer or servant of the railway company, to produce and deliver up a ticket showing that your fare was paid or to pay the fare - £220 fine, £9.10 compensation, £58 surcharge, £150 costs.

Jamie Brian Norris, 22, Dickens Road, Coppull: used a motor vehicle, on a road, or other public place, namely Brackenbury Road, when there was not in force in relation to that use such a policy of insurance - £120 fine, £34 surcharge, £110 costs, six penalty points on driving licence.

Liam David McDonald, 26, Parker Street: used a motor vehicle on a road, or other public place, namely Parker Street, when there was not in force in relation to that use such a policy of insurance - £660 fine, £264 surcharge, £90 costs, six penalty points on driving licence.

Stuart Joseph McDonnell, 46, Wigan Lane, Charnock: drove a motor vehicle on a road namely Wigan Lane, whilst not wearing an adult belt - £160 fine, £64 surcharge, £90 costs.

Why do people appear at Magistrates Court instead of Crown Court?

The vast majority of offences are dealt with at magistrates court, with only the most serious offences, such murder and rape, being heard at Crown Court in front of a judge. Magistrates and district judges deal most others, including minor offences such as motoring offences, minor criminal damage and common assault not causing significant injury.

They will also deal with more serious offences such a burglary and drug offences but will then pass the case to a higher court should they feel they do not have sufficient sentencing powers. Magistrates will also pass the serious – or indictable – offences such as murder, rape, other serious sexual offences, kidnapping and serious fraud, to the Crown Court, where judges have much greater sentencing powers and cases are heard before a jury.