Magistrates' courts across Kent hear hundreds of cases every day.

Here's a round-up of those in recent weeks, including a knuckleduster-carrying teenager, the impatient driver who tailgated a cab in a taxi lane and the supermarket thief who legged it with £35 worth of cheese....

* Lee Hollington narrowly avoided prison for an unprovoked attack on three people in Canterbury.

The 37-year-old, of the city’s Merchants Way, assaulted Nicholas Fox, Sam Perkins and Tom Millen on May 12 this year.

He initially denied the offences, but changed his pleas on September 9. He was jailed for 84 days, but the sentence was suspended for a year. He was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, have treatment for alcohol addiction, and must pay his victims a combined £450 in compensation.

* Zara Foster, 39, and Karina Scamp, 27, admitted stealing a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Champagne and two bottles of vodka from Waitrose on March 14.

They were both ordered to repay half the value of the alcohol - £82.50 each - in compensation.

Foster, of Sussex Avenue, Canterbury, was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Scamp, of Russett Avenue, Canterbury, was fined £80.

* Paul Barrett, 51, of Candlers Way, Chartham, admitted assaulting Gillian Smallwood on February 24.

Margate magistrates ordered him to undergo rehabilitation and carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work.

* Sam Sharp, 31, of Gordon Road, Canterbury, stole meat worth £92 from Marks & Spencer in Canterbury on February 22.

He was given a conditional discharge for six months.

* Daniel Arthurs, 24, of Orchard Road, Herne Bay, was fined £300 after admitting driving without due care and attention in Canterbury.

Folkestone magistrates heard he pulled behind a cab in a taxi lane in Lower Bridge Street and beeped his horn a number of times before attempting to overtake on February 24.

He pulled is Toyota Celica back into the taxi lane, tailgating the cab and beeping his horn again.

He eventually overtook the taxi in Military Road and before pulling in front of it, coming to an "abrupt stop".

He was given five points on his licence.

* Michael Fakori, 31, of no fixed abode, trespassed on the tracks at St Dunstan’s level crossing in Canterbury on April 30. He initially denied the offence but changed his plea on September 10. He was fined £50. He was also fined £100 for failing to attend two previous court hearings.

* Max Allen, 30, of Sunnyhill Road, Herne Bay, has admitted drink driving while disqualified and without insurance.

He was stopped and breathalysed in Primrose Way, Chestfield, on August 25.

He gave a reading of 91 micrograms in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He admitted the offences on September 12. He was in breach of a suspended sentence given to him in December last year for dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking and drink driving.

Sentencing was sent to Canterbury Crown Court.

* Salehin Kabi, 19, of no fixed abode, stole £35 worth of cheese from the Co-op in Whitstable on July 11.

He admitted the offence at Margate Magistrates’ Court on September 12. He was given a six-month conditional discharge and was ordered to repay the value of the cheese and costs of £85.

* Charles Muir admitted drink driving after he was stopped in a Vauxhall Astra in Whitstable Road, Whitstable, on August 12.

The 28-year-old from Barnet was breathalysed and gave a reading of 87 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He admitted the offence at Margate Magistrates’ Court on September 12 and was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £516.

* Abbie Lucas, 25, was given a conditional discharge after admitting using threatening or abusive behaviour with the intent to cause Gemma Diamond to believe violence would be used against her.

The incident took place at Herne Bay railway station on May 17.

Lucas, of Victoria Park, Herne Bay, was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £50 compensation to her victim.

* Gian Bruin, of East Street, Canterbury, was disqualified from the road for 17 months after admitting drink driving.

The 33-year-old was at the wheel of a Renault Clio stopped on the A256 Eastry Bypass in Sandwich on August 18.

He gave a breathalyser reading of 69 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He appeared before Folkestone magistrates on September 18 and was hit with costs of £85.

* Sorin Circel, 25, narrowly avoided prison after he crashed while banned from driving.

His BMW was involved in an accident on the A28 Thanington Road in Canterbury on January 7.

Circel, of Bluebell Close, Ashford, appeared before Folkestone magistrates on September 18 and admitted driving while banned and having no insurance.

Magistrates said he showed a "blatant disregard" for his disqualification and the "serious consequences" of his driving.

He was jailed for 84 days but the sentence was suspended for a year.

He was also banned from driving for three years and must do 250 hours of unpaid community work.

* Benjamin Deskaj, of Frencham Close, Canterbury, has been fined £120 for driving without insurance.

The 20-year-old was stopped in a Peugeot 206 in Northgate, Canterbury, on December 15 last year.

He was also given a 30-day driving ban after admitting the offence at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on September 20.

* Rebecca Alexander, of Bognor Drive, Herne Bay, admitted drink driving on the Thanet Way in Whitstable.

The 28-year-old was stopped in a Mazda 3 on August 18 and failed a breathalyser.

She gave a reading of 44 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

She was banned from driving for one year and hit with £85 costs.

* Mitchell McDermott has been ordered to pay compensation more than £1,000 compensation to vehicle owners after going on a car vandalism spree.

The 24-year-old, of no fixed abode, damaged six cars in Canterbury on May 12 this year.

A total of £1,010 worth of damage was caused to a VW Passat, Seat Ibiza, Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 206, with McDermott ordered to cover the repairs.

He also vandalised a VW Golf and Jaguar XF, but the value of the damage was unknown.

He was told to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work.

* Ashley Munchin, of no fixed abode, has been told to pay back the £25 value of headphones he stole from B&M Bargains on April 17.

The 32-year-old admitted the theft and was given a six-month conditional discharge.

* James Dannaher, 29, of Ivanhoe Road, Herne Bay, has been fined £165 for possessing cannabis.

He admitted the offence at Margate Magistrates' Court.

* David Pearce, 18, of Grove Road, Preston, avoided an immediate jail sentence for having a knuckleduster knife in public.

The teenager admitted having the blade in Querns Road, Canterbury, on December 18 last year.

He was jailed for 90 days but the sentence was suspended by Margate magistrates for 12 months.

Pearce must also do 100 hours of unpaid community work.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

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