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

MARK WARD, 46, of Linden Road, Reading, convicted of failing to surrender to custody at Reading Magistrates Court on November 23, 2022. Also convicted of fraud by false representation in Reading on January 5, 2022, by using a bank card that was not theirs at Avenue Food and Wine in Northcote Avenue, Reading. Given a community order to comply with rehabilitation activity.

GARY CHAMBERS, 48, of Wallis Square, Farnborough, convicted of theft by employee after stealing £6,773.94 from Johnstone Decorating Centre in Reading between April 30, 2020, and June 1, 2021. Given a community order to comply with rehabilitation activity and 200 hours of unpaid work. Also ordered to pay £114 victim surcharge.

LOUIS LEIGH, 50, of Glebe Place in High Worth, convicted of theft by employee after stealing £6,854.79 from Johnstone Decorating Centre in Reading between April 30, 2020, and June 1, 2021. Given a community order to comply with rehabilitation activity and 130 hours of unpaid work. Also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £114 victim surcharge.

KERRY OBRIEN, 35, of Warren Close, Slough, convicted of drink-driving in Gosling Road, Slough on June 13, 2023. Found to have 89mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35mcg. Fined £138. Also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £55 victim surcharge. 10 points added to driving licence.

CHRISTINA WORT, 44, of Finchampstead Road, Wokingham, convicted of drinkdriving in Finchampstead Road, Wokingham, on December 9, 2023. Found to have 50mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35mcg. Fined £626. Also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £250 victim surcharge. Disqualified from driving for 14 months.

ETHAN WRIGHT, 22, Priory Road, West Berkshire, convicted of drink-driving on the A339 in Newbury on December 9, 2023. Found to have 64mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit of 35mcg. Fined £422. Disqualified from driving for 17 months. Also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £169 victim surcharge.

SAM ROBINSON, 33, of Bakers Place in Woodley, convicted of drink-driving in Woodley on December 8, 2023. Found to have 60mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35mcg. Fined £500. Also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £200 victim surcharge. Disqualified from driving for 17 months.

PAUL TARRANT, 51, of Woodmere in Bracknell, convicted of criminal damage at the Newtown Pippin pub in Ralphs Ride on June 13, 2023, and convicted of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour to cause harassment or distress at the same location on June 7, 2023. Destroyed a flowerpot. Also convicted of criminal damage on September 7, 2023, after damaging a CCTV camera at Ardelena Romania Store. Ordered to pay £300 compensation.

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.