A SAUNDERSFOOT man will face a trial at Swansea Crown Court after pleading not guilty to charges of fraudulently evading duty on turtle shells, pink Queen Conch shells and mixed coral.

Fifty-eight-year-old Jonathon Blair appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Jan 19) to face five charges.

The court heard how Blair, who gave his new address as Lleust Y Bryn, Carmarthen, was found in possession of Fito defence spray, a realistic imitation firearm plus a quantity of turtle, Queen
Conch shells and mixed coral.

Blair pleaded not guilty to three charges of fraudulently evading duty, however a guilty plea was indicated on the charge of possession of Fito Defence Spray and the imitation firearm.

Customs and Excise boarded Blair’s boat in Pembrokeshire on June 15 of last year, where they searched and found the prohibited items, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Ann Griffiths asked the court to consider sending the case to Crown court due to the serious nature of the offences.

During mitigation, defence counsel James Harris asked magistrates to accept jurisdiction on the basis that the items were found ‘beachcombing’ and were kept on display on the boat and not brought illegally through markets.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction of the case due to the volume of shells involved.

The case is expected to be heard at Swansea Crown Court on February 19.

Blair was released on bail with the condition that he must live and sleep at the address given to the court and must surrender his passport.

THE CONSERVATIVE Party is investigating the attendance of senior Senedd members and staff at a Christmas party held during December’s lockdown.

Lockdown restrictions prohibit mixing with people outside your own household.

The Welsh restrictions barring such gatherings follow the basic outline of those imposed by the Conservative UK Government in December.

Those attending the drinks party included Paul Smith, the Conservative Chief of Staff at the Senedd, Darren Millar, the Party’s Chief Whip and campaign coordinator, and Preseli Pembrokeshire MS and Conservative Senedd Group Leader Paul Davies.

The Herald understands that a Labour Senedd Member who attended the Party has been suspended by the Labour Senedd Group pending its own investigation.

The Conservatives’ embarrassment at talking the talk but not walking the walk is intensified by Darren Millar’s presence at the shindig.

In May, Mr Millar led calls for Wales’ Health Minister Vaughan Gething to be sacked for eating a bag of chips in a park with one of his own children.

If the Conservative Party follows the logic of their previously stated positions, Mr Millar’s and Mr Davies’ futures look bleak indeed.

With a Senedd election only months away, the revelations have thrown the Conservatives into disarray.

If they do nothing, the Conservatives will – at the very least – face claims they are hypocrites.

If the Conservative Party acts decisively, it faces massive internal problems.

The Herald has asked the Conservatives’ Media Team at the Senedd to respond.

A SAUNDERSFOOT food business operator has been fined £320 for supplying a takeaway meal that contained gluten, having said that it was a gluten free dish.

On February 19 last year, as part of Pembrokeshire County Council’s sampling programme, an officer visited Sao Mai Dragon takeaway, which specialises in Cantonese and Vietnamese food, to check allergen controls.

The business had been given advice about the importance of providing accurate information about allergens as part of their previous food safety inspection.

The officer arrived to collect an order placed by telephone, during which the officer had requested a dish that would be suitable for someone suffering from a gluten allergy.

The officer was told that lots of the available dishes would be suitable, including sweet and sour chicken balls in batter. The officer asked on two additional occasions if this dish was definitely safe for someone with an allergy to gluten.

Each time she was informed that it was and that the batter was made using cornflour, not wheat flour.

A sample of the dish was sent for analysis and on 13th March 2020, the officer received a Public Analyst’s certificate stating that the meal did contain gluten.

Mr Luyen van Nguyen, the business owner, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court in person and unrepresented on Friday, 15th January 2021.

He entered a guilty plea and stated that it was his wife who had dealt with the order.

He added that she should not have done so as she usually works in the kitchen and probably didn’t understand what was required.

He also stated that he was receiving government support since lockdown and that the business was closed.

As well as the fine, costs of £1000 were also awarded to the County Council.

After the case the Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Public Protection and Welsh Language, Cris Tomos, said: “It is absolutely vital that food businesses provide accurate information about allergens.

Where they are catering for allergy sufferers this can literally be a matter of life and death.

(Image from Google)