Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

An Ammanford man has been prosecuted for failing to obey a notice to stop living at his business premises. Phillip Lewis pleaded guilty at Llanelli Magistrates Court on Monday to breaching an enforcement notice issued by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that Mr Lewis was living in a caravan at the commercial premises Enclosure Tec in Shands Road, Ammanford, without the benefit of planning permission. In addition he had attached an extension to the caravan, created an amenity space with several dog kennels, and also converted an office building into two residential flats both without the benefit of planning permission. Mr Lewis was served with an enforcement notice seeking removal of the caravan and extension and to cease residential use of the land with which he did not comply. He was also required to revert the unauthorised residential flats to office space, with which he did comply. He was fined £300, and ordered to pay £282.70 costs and a victim surcharge of £30. Car...

A St Clears man has been prosecuted for forging a Blue Badge to allow him privileges only reserved for drivers with severely restricted mobility. Cledan David, aged 54, of Salem Road, pleaded guilty to the offence, contrary to s.115(1) of the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984, at Carmarthen Court. He was ordered to pay a fine of £500, with £54 costs and a £50 victim surcharge. It is the first time Carmarthenshire County Council has successfully prosecuted for Blue Badge fraud. Cllr Colin Evans, Executive Board Member for Transport, said: “Blue Badges are an important parking concession for disabled people that helps to improve their quality of life - any abuse of that privilege is taken very seriously. This is the first time we have prosecuted someone for forging a Blue Badge, but it sends a clear message that such fraud is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.” Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, the maximum fine for misusing a Blue Badge is £5,000 or two years imprisonment.

The manager of Carmarthen’s Lolfa Lounge, Water Street, has been prosecuted for breaching licence conditions. John Paul James attended Carmarthen Magistrates Court on January 9, and pleaded guilty to eight separate offences contrary to Section 136 of the Licensing Act 2003. He was fined a total of £600, and ordered to pay £450 prosecution costs, with a victim surcharge of £50. The court heard that Carmarthenshire County Council had received complaints from local residents regarding noise from the premises. Licensing officers had also been made aware of a number of incidents at the premises which had been dealt with by police. The officers visited the premises on three separate occasions in November 2013, supported by local neighbourhood police officers, and found it was in breach of a number of licence requirements. On the 1st, 2nd and 10th of November, officers found that entertainment was being provided beyond the permitted hour of 1am. On November 1st, officers also witnessed the...

A Llanelli café owner has lost her appeal against fly-posting offences. Tracy Webb, aged 33, who runs Whispers Cafe in Swansea Road, was fined a total of £700 after being convicted of five separate offences under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. As well as being fined £140 for each offence, she was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £2,158 following a trial at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. Webb appealed and the case was heard at Swansea Crown Court where it was dismissed and she was ordered to pay further prosecution costs of £1,200. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said he was pleased with the verdict of the court. “Fly-posting is a criminal offence and this sends the clear message that it will not be tolerated,” Cllr Jones said. Fly-posting is displaying adverts and other promotional materials without permission, for example, on buildings, lampposts, railings and litter bins. The council’s fly-posting policy does have exceptions...