Crisps cost one Burry Port worker a packet

A packet of crisps proved costly for one Burry Port road worker after he was ordered to pay nearly £200.

Jack Howells was laying tarmac on a road when a resident caught him red handed on camera discarding the empty packet on the floor.

The 24-year-old of Tyn Y Bryn Road, in Tonyrefail, was fined £100 by Llanelli magistrates and ordered to pay costs of £85 in a prosecution led by Carmarthenshire County Council.

The court heard that on Monday, November 8 last year, a resident heard noises outside their property and saw a road worker throwing a banana skin on the ground. The resident then decided to switch on her phone video and caught Howells who was laying tarmac emptying the remains of a bag of crisps into his mouth before throwing it on the floor.

The evidence was then passed onto Carmarthenshire County Council’s enforcement team who contacted Gwendraeth Valley Tarmac and were able to identify Howells.

Howells was contacted by the council and agreed to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) within 14 days to avoid going to court.

Despite reminders and a verbal agreement, Howells failed to pay up and was taken to court last Friday where he admitted the offence.

He was also ordered to pay £34 victim surcharge.

(Lead image: Allen Watkin / Creative Commons)