A drug driver, a bike thief and a man who caused a crash on the M1 are among people who appeared in court recently.
The following is a snapshot of cases heard at St Albans Magistrates' Court between August 26 and September 2 which involved Watford-area residents or crimes that took place in the town.
Leavesden man sentenced for assault and arson threat
Michael Watson, 38, of Cheshire Drive in Leavesden, pleaded guilty to assault by beating and threatening to destroy property.
Court documents state that on July 26 in Abbots Langley he assaulted a woman and threatened police officers that he would burn down a flat belonging to her.
Watson was sentenced to a two-year community order, including a six-month alcohol treatment requirement, 26 days on the Building Better Choices programme and up to 10 rehabilitation activity days.
He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs.
Watford M1 crash
Darius Cerbu, 42, of Trefoil Close in Luton, admitted causing serious injury by careless driving after a collision on the M1 near Watford.
Court documents state that on April 19, 2024, Cerbu caused serious injury to someone while driving a Ford Transit van without due care and attention.
He was fined £1,077, ordered to pay an £85 victim surcharge and £431 costs.
He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
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Bike thief
Valter Morais-Duarte, 43, of Charter Place in Watford, admitted stealing a bicycle worth £150 belonging in Watford on March 31, possessing crack cocaine in Hatfield on July 24 and failing to surrender to custody at St Albans Magistrates' Court on June 5.
Morais-Duarte was fined a total of £160, ordered to pay £150 compensation and £85 costs.
The cocaine was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.
Watford drug driver
Anthony Fitzsimmons, 63, of Mill End in Rickmansworth, admitted driving with a cocaine metabolite above the legal limit.
Court documents state that on January 15, 2025, he drove on St Albans Road, Watford, with benzoylecgonine (BZE) in his system.
BZE is the substance produced when the body breaks down cocaine.
Fitzsimmons was fined £270, ordered to pay £300 costs and a £108 surcharge.
He was disqualified from driving for 17 months.
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