The following cases were heard at Reading and Slough Magistrates’ Court

January 28:

Danny Latham, 25, of Crowthorne Road, Bracknell, admitted to drink-driving and was fined £266. He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

Jordan Warburton, 24, of Balfour Crescent, Bracknell, was found guilty of two counts of assault by beating and was ordered to pay compensation of £200. A community order was made and he must take part in a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for a maximum of 10 days. He will also be required to carry out 70 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months. He was ordered to pay costs of £200.

Charlie James Patrick Carter, 20, of Hillberry, Bracknell, admitted to failing to comply with the requirements of a community order made by Reading Magistrates’ Court by failing to comply with a programme requirement and unpaid work requirement. He was fined £340 and ordered to pay costs of £60.

January 29:

Tremain Benn, 18, of Turing Drive, Bracknell, admitted to causing criminal damage to property valued under £5,000. He was fined £350, ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £35.

Michael Saunders, 55, of York Road, Binfield, admitted to failing to comply with the requirements of a community order made by Slough Magistrates’ Court and was dealt with for an original offence of theft from a shop. A suspended sentence of two weeks was activated.

Nicholas Carr, 30, of Roman Way, Warfield, admitted to one count of assault by beating and another of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. A community order was made and he must take part in Programme Requirement for 30 days and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for a maximum of 10 days. He will also be required to carry out 70 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months. He was ordered to pay compensation of £200, costs of £135 and a surcharge of £85.

January 30:

Nicholas Haydn Thomas, 28, of Chobham Road, Sunningdale, admitted to theft and failing without reasonable cause to surrender to custody at Reading Magistrates’ Court having been released on bail during criminal proceedings. He was found to have committed a further offence during the operational period of a suspended sentence. He was dealt with for the original offence, namely theft and using threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment/alarm/distress. He was committed to prison for a total of 36 weeks and was ordered to pay a surcharge of £115.

Constantin Ozoreanu, 58, of Liscombe, Bracknell, denied failing to provide a specimen and to co-operate with a preliminary test. He was found guilty and fined £400. He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 16 months and was ordered to pay costs of £1,040.

Philip John Cordwell, 50, of Reading Road, Winnersh, admitted to drink-driving in Bracknell and was fined £120. He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 18 months and was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

January 31:

Curt Michael Lancaster, 19, of Hamilton Road, Wargrave, admitted to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and one count of being drunk and disorderly in a public place. He was fined a total of £200, ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

Ian Morgan, 65, of Grange Road, Bracknell, admitted to drink-driving and was fined £300. He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 18 months and was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.

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. Costs include victim surcharge and criminal courts charges.