A Penyrheol man has been told to pay more than £700 by magistrates for illegally storing fireworks at his home.
Mark Anthony Griffiths, 39, of Heol Aneurin, Penyrheol, was prosecuted by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards team for storing a large amount of fireworks at his home address without being registered.
Trading Standards executed a search warrant at a Gelligaer address in October 2012, where a quantity of fireworks, as well as counterfeit clothing, was seized.
Evidence from the investigation found that Griffiths was the source of the fireworks and Trading Standards searched his Penyrheol home where fireworks containing almost 30kg of explosives were seized.
Griffiths’ case was heard at Newport Magistrates’ Court on November 29 where he admitted the charge.
He was fined £500 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £238. In addition, the court ordered for the fireworks to be destroyed.
The Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005 require any premises storing over 5kg net of explosives to be registered. The regulations also require explosives to be stored safely, and registered premises are all inspected by Trading Standards to ensure and maintain public safety.
Cllr David Poole, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services, speaking after the case, said: “Fireworks can pose a very real danger to anyone storing or using them illegally as in this particular case. Our Trading Standards team continue to work hard to minimise the effect that fireworks can have on our residents by taking action against anybody or any business illegally storing or selling fireworks.”