News
Sniffer dog’s presented award by local MP
IMAGINE a sniffer dog, so good at its job, that a £25K bounty is put on its head! Scamp, a diligent springer spaniel who recovered over £6 million worth of illegal tobacco products in the last 5 years, has been named the Institutes Hero in the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Hero Awards 2019.
Described as a ‘modern-day Eliot Ness’, the seven-year-old owned by specialist detection dog company B.W.Y Canine ltd, has been involved in countless trading standards raids throughout the years. Most recently, his work with trading standards caused such disruption to one organised criminal gang that he had a £25K bounty placed on his head, with his handler Stuart Phillips receiving death threats.
During a recent project between several local authorities, Scamp and B.W.Y Canine helped trading standards seize nearly 430,000 cigarettes and 189kg of hand-rolling tobacco, with a total street value of approximately £137,000. The CTSI Hero Awards celebrate those who make outstanding contributions towards consumer protection in our communities. Scamp and B.W.Y Canine received the award at the CTSI Hero Awards 2019 ceremony at One Great George Street, London, on Tuesday.
After presenting the award to Scamp and Stuart Phillips, Stephen Crabb MP commented: “I was thrilled to present this award to Scamp for the important and diligent detection work he has carried out. Stuart and the whole team at B.W.Y. Canine should be immensely proud of Scamp and what he has done. This goes to show the outstanding work being done by B.W.Y Canine and I look forward to catching up with them in Clunderwen soon.”
Chief Executive at CTSI, Leon Livermore, said: “CTSI received a landslide of nominations for the outstanding work Scamp and B.W.Y Canine have done with trading standards services up and down the country. To keep providing such a service in the face of great personal risk is admirable, and Stuart from B.W.Y Canine, and of course Scamp, deserve our thanks.”
Stuart Phillips from B.W.Y Canine, said: “To be nominated for this award by so many trading standards teams is a great honour, but for Scamp to actually win and be awarded the Institute Hero Award is fantastic news for our small Pembrokeshire based company. The work that Scamp does is of huge importance to tackle the illegal tobacco trade and we both thoroughly enjoy working with trading standards around the UK. Scamp is special dog, with an amazing nose and great work ethic – for him to have his work recognised is superb, he is a true hero.” Scamp and B.W.Y Canine were presented with the award by local MP, Stephen Crabb, and Robert Wright, CTSI College of Fellows, Sponsors of the CTSI Hero Awards.
A PRIME seaside trading spot has been made available by Pembrokeshire County Council, offering a unique opportunity for an entrepreneur to operate an ice cream van at the popular Newgale Beach.
The council is inviting tenders for a licence to trade from the northern car park at Newgale between 1st March and 31st October each year. Applications must be submitted by 12:00 noon on Wednesday (Apr 30).
Located on the north-west coast of Pembrokeshire, Newgale Beach stretches for over 3 kilometres and is a favourite among surfers, swimmers, and families alike. Sporting events are frequently held on the beach during the summer months, drawing in large crowds and providing a strong footfall for potential ice cream sales.
The designated car parks at Newgale offer 230 spaces and are the closest surface car parks to the beach. Seasonal parking charges apply between March and October.
The council is seeking offers over £5,000 plus VAT per annum for the licence. Trading hours are expected to be between 11:00am and 7:00pm daily, although these times can be adjusted with the prior agreement of the Streetcare and Parking Manager.
The successful applicant will be allowed to sell principally ice cream, but soft drinks and confectionery may also be sold subject to approval. The sale of alcohol and hot food will not be permitted.
Interested parties are encouraged to visit the site before submitting their applications. An application form can be requested from the council’s Property Helpdesk. All offers will be considered up until the exchange of contracts, although the council is not obliged to accept the highest or any offer.
A TEMPLETON woman has admitted making repeated nuisance calls to emergency services and assaulting a police officer.
Ann Gatley, aged 78, of Chapel Hill Lane, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court charged with two offences following incidents earlier this month.
The court heard that between April 7 and April 9, Gatley persistently misused the public communications network with the intention of causing annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety.
She was also charged with assaulting a female police officer in the Narberth area on April 9.
Gatley pleaded guilty to both offences when she appeared in court on Thursday (Apr 11).
Magistrates adjourned sentencing to allow for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. Gatley is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on May 6.
She was granted bail until that date, with a condition that she must not contact emergency services unless in a genuine emergency.
A MILFORD HAVEN man is set to stand trial accused of carrying a pocket knife with a blade exceeding the legal limit.
Lee Lock, 37, is alleged to have had the knife hidden beneath a car seat while driving through Honeyborough Industrial Estate, Neyland, on June 5, 2024.
The Crown Prosecution Service claims the blade measured 7.62 centimetres in length—over the 7 cm threshold permitted by law.
Lock appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week via video link from HM Swansea Prison, where he pleaded not guilty to possessing a knife blade in a public place.
His trial has been scheduled for June 9 at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.
Lock, of Coombs Road, Milford Haven, was remanded in custody due to concerns he may fail to surrender to bail.
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