Latest news with #CardiffMagistratesCourt
Metro
15-07-2025
- Business
- Metro
Asda slapped with six-figure fine for selling more than 100 out-of-date foods
One of Britain's biggest grocers has been hit with a £657,115 fine after selling more than 100 out-of-date items in Wales. Members of the public began complaining about the expired food after visiting stores on Lekwith Road, Canton, and Pentwyn, both in Wales. Some of the sales were of high-risk items like meat and dairy, Cardiff Magistrates Court heard. The oldest item found in the shop was seven days past its best-before date, and months after initial complaints, six expired items were found on store shelves. Over a four-month period, 115 out-of-date food items were found, raising serious concerns about food safety. Selling food past the use-by date is illegal in the UK, regardless of whether the food is in good condition or not. Ian McDonald, representing Asda, told the court the supermarket chain took matters of food safety seriously, and said since the complaints, Asda had implemented a new system for monitoring out-of-date food. He told the court that the consultation process cost £1,000,000, and the initial training of 105,000 members of staff cost over £600,000, with no issues since the new system was brought in. Judge Charlotte Murphy said she accepted that Asda had systems in place but said they weren't sufficient, and the complaints were not isolated incidents. She did rule that there was a 'low risk' of adverse effects to the general public, but fined Asda £160,000 for each offence, which was a breach of the General Food Regulations 2004, coming to £640,000. The sum, with court charges, brought the total to £657,115, and Asda was ordered to pay the sum within 28 days. Cllr Norma Mackie, council cabinet member with responsibility for Shared Regulatory Services at Cardiff Council, said consumers should be confident that food in shops is safe to eat. More Trending 'In this case, Asda fell significantly short of the required standards expected. The systems that they had in place were clearly inadequate, and we hope that Asda has now taken the necessary steps to rectify these failings to ensure that such incidents do not occur again,' she added. It's not the first brush-up with authorities Asda has had. In April this year, Asda was fined £410,000 after two of its Cornwall stores were found to be selling out-of-date food. In October last year, the supermarket was fined £250,000 for selling food past its use by date, including some by six months, in stores in Derby. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Up to 280 locations of popular store chain are facing closure amid bankruptcy MORE: Forget about Prosecco — drink this £6.97 sparkling wine from Asda instead MORE: Supermarket own-brand ketchup voted just as good as Heinz — and it's 70% cheaper
South Wales Guardian
01-07-2025
- South Wales Guardian
Juror charged over Ammanford school stabbing trial collapse
Christopher Elias, 45, appeared at Cardiff Magistrates Court accused of an offence under the Juries Act 1974. The charge related to the trial of a girl, now 15, who was accused of attempting to murder two teachers and a fellow pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman on April 24, 2024. The initial trial collapsed in October last year due to what the judge described as a 'great irregularity in the jury'. The girl – who cannot be named due to her age – was convicted in April following a re-trial, and was sentenced to 15 years detention. Elias, of Waunceirch, was initially charged with refusing to answer a question about qualification to serve as a jury. However, this was withdrawn by the prosecution, and he was instead charged with engaging in prohibited conduct whilst being a member of a jury. It was alleged that Elias failed to properly complete a juror questionnaire and disclose that he had a personal connection with the school and persons involved in the trial. The case was sent on to Cardiff Crown Court, and Elias will appear to enter his plea on July 28. He was granted bail until that date.
Wales Online
02-06-2025
- Wales Online
Man appears in court over collapse of Ammanford school stabbing trial
Man appears in court over collapse of Ammanford school stabbing trial Christopher Elias, 45, denies a charge related to the original Ammanford school stabbing trial, which saw the jury being discharged by the judge Christopher Elias (right) leaves Cardiff Magistrates Court (Image: John Myers ) A man has appeared in court in connection with the collapse of the first trial into a stabbing at an Ammandford school. A 14-year-old girl - who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions - was sentenced to 15 years detention after being convicted of the attempted murder of two teachers and a pupil at Ammanford's Ysgol Dyffryn Aman following a trial in January, 2025. The matter had originally gone to trial in October last year but the jury was discharged when the case was only part-heard. Christopher Elias, 45, of Millbank, Waunceirch, Neath, pleaded not guilty to an offence of refusing to answer a question relating to the qualification to serve on a jury - contrary to the Juries Act 1974 - when he appeared at Swansea Magistrates Court at an earlier date. Today, June 2, the case was due to be heard at Cardiff Magistrates Court but the matter was adjourned to June 30 and the defendant released on unconditional bail to that date. District Judge Christopher James said it was "deeply regrettable" that the hearing had to be pushed back again. He said: "It is regrettable that this matter is to be adjourned by four weeks." Article continues below Giles Hayes, defending, expressed his frustration that it was the third time the case had been to court and been adjourned, adding that his client was of "clean character". He said: "Each time we have come to court no-one can tell me what is happening with this case." Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here . The school stabbing trial heard the girl attacked deputy head teacher Fiona Elias, teacher Liz Hopkin and a female pupil during the school's morning break on April 24 last year. The girl approached Mrs Elias in the school yard and said "I'm going to f****** kill you" before stabbing her in the arms with the knife. Article continues below When Mrs Hopkin intervened and tried to restrain the girl, the teenager turned on her and stabbed her in the neck, back, legs and arms. Other members of teaching staff spoke to the defendant and tried to calm her down but she ran off and attacked a 14-year-old girl with the bladed multi-tool before being successfully restrained and disarmed. The judge later said he believed the girl had done it "for attention" and she was sentenced to a 15-year detention.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man who sold diet pills made from poison jailed
A man who sold diet pills on the internet which were actually poison has been jailed for three years. Kyle Enos, 33, had only been out of prison for a few months for selling fentanyl online when he bought the drug 2, 4 Dinotrophenol, or DNP, on the dark web from suppliers in India and China. He pressed it into pills in his bedroom in Maesteg, Bridgend. Cardiff Crown Court heard DNP is a regulated substance classed as both a poison and a secondary explosive that has caused at least 34 deaths in the UK. Judge Simon Mills told Enos his website gave the impression that the tablets were produced in "some sort of professional laboratory by people in white coats and qualifications and expertise". Officers raided Enos' property on Station Road in Maesteg on 25 July 2024 and found 2.5kg of orange powder and a machine used to press it into pill form. Enos admitted a total of eight charges at Cardiff Magistrates Court including possessing 2, 4 DNP, supplying the drug and supplying a regulated poison. He had also admitted five charges of failing to comply with a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) handed to him following his fentanyl convictions. In 2018 he was sentenced to eight years in prison for supplying "significant amounts" of the opioid, fentanyl to a total of 166 contacts. Four of those contacts, including Jack Barton, 23, a Cardiff University student, and Arran Rees, 34, from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, died. No charges were brought in relation to their deaths as it could not be said with certainty Enos had supplied the fentanyl. Having served some of his eight-year sentence, he was released on licence, in 2021, but was recalled to prison in June 2022, before being released again in August 2022. Organised crime group sentenced after drugs bust Drug production booming in UK's empty high streets £250m drug bust warning to criminals, say police Under the terms of his SCPO he was not allowed to sell products online or in a virtual marketplace; he was not allowed to access the dark web and had to notify a National Crime Agency (NCA) officer about possessing mobile phones and laptops and creating his own internet page. Enos pleaded guilty to five failures to comply with his SCPO having used a laptop to access the dark web to set up a Proton email account with end-to-end encryption and creating up a website selling DNT. The court was shown screengrabs of his online marketplace which included suggestions of products customers "may also like" giving the impression of it being a legitimate pharmacy. He took payment for the drugs by bank transfer, bitcoin and other cryptocurrency from customers around the world, including as far away as New Zealand. Enos has refused access to police to some of his devices. DNP is the drug which led to the death of Eloise Parry, 21, at hospital in Wrexham, in 2015. The Glyndwr University student, died after taking eight capsules. In bodycam footage shown to the court the powder can be seen in a washing up bowl on his bedroom floor next to an empty pizza box. Underwear can also be seen next to his bed by the pill press machine and another washing up bowl filled with pills. Judge Simon Mills said he wanted the footage to be released to the media for members of the public to be made aware of the unsanitary conditions in which the pills were made. "You were selling poison to the general public," said Judge Mills. "Your pharmacy was in fact your house or flat and you were preparing and pressing the pills you were selling to the general public on a filthy piece of equipment amongst training shoes and discarded underwear." He was sentenced to a total of 36 months in prison. "You have a propensity for selling dangerous substances to people," said Judge Mills, adding: "This is a habit that you must stop." "The court doesn't know the full extent of the harm that you did by peddling this horrendous substance. "If any of your product is still out there in the community and it can be shown to have killed someone, you should face an investigation for manslaughter, but hopefully that will not happen." A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will be held later this year.
The Irish Sun
22-04-2025
- The Irish Sun
Woman attacked by four dogs and ‘bitten on legs' as PSNI race to scene & ‘medical attention' required
A WOMAN was "bitten on her legs" after she was attacked by four dogs at her home. The horror attack occurred shortly after 1pm this afternoon in south Advertisement Police rushed to the scene following a report of a woman being attacked by a number of dogs. A number of the animals were restrained by specialist officers at the scene. It is understood none of the dogs involved in the attack are believed to be XL Bullys. They were contained in an alleyway and later taken from the area safely. Advertisement Read more in News The woman was bitten on the leg and required "medical attention". In a statement, a "Officers attended and contained four dogs in an alleyway until they were taken from the area safely." It comes after a Advertisement Most read in Irish News Lilly, who was 10 at the time of her attack, had been kicking a football about with pals opposite her Bridgend home, Wales, in September 2023. The horror unfolded as Lily waited for a friend outside her neighbour's front door. SAVAGE BITES A Staffordshire bull terrier cross breed charged out of the house and savagely bit her on the face. The 10-year-old had more than 10 puncture wounds on her hand as she tried to protect herself. Advertisement Lily's serious facial injuries required surgery and left permanent scarring. Her dad Alex O'Byrne recalled the bone chilling moment he heard his daughter's screams of terror. 'I WAS ATTACKED' He told Lily was rushed to the Princess of Wales Hospital as police were called to the scene of her attack. Advertisement The dog, owned by Cody O'Brien, was seized and destroyed the same day. O'Brien later admitted owning a dog that was dangerously out of control causing injury at Cardiff Magistrates Court and was fined £666. 'PRONOUNCED SCARRING' Alex told how Lily was left with "pronounced scarring on her face" which has knocked her confidence. "She is dealing with it really well, but every now and again you'll notice her sitting and looking in the mirror, especially if she's on her way to a party or an event," he added. Advertisement The dad explained how despite the attack, Lily is now able to be around dogs - including their own family pet Snapple. But the schoolgirl becomes uncomfortable if the animals start to bark. And, Alex explained how his daughter hasn't received counselling from the NHS yet due to long waiting lists. He was also shocked his family received no compensation because the dangerous dog owner had no pet insurance. Advertisement 1 Police rushed to the scene following a report of a woman being attacked by a number of dogs on April 22 Credit: Alamy
