A man has avoided jail after supplying a former bodybuilder’s Bargoed gym with bogus protein bars.
Cardiff Crown Court heard how Giles Havenhand, from Budby in Nottinghamshire, made “wholly fictitious” health claims about his Global Nutrition products, which were supplied to the Platinum Fitness Centre in Bargoed.
The gym, run by former champion bodybuilder Justin Trollope, was raided last year with Global Nutrition bars and flapjacks seized by Trading Standards.
The raid followed a joint investigation by Trading Standards, the Food Standards Agency and Europol.
Mr Trollope, who won Mr Britain in 2008, said he’d been given the products as samples, and was surprised his face was used on Havenhand’s website endorsing them.
Mr Trollope said he had met Havenhand through bodybuilding competitions, but had never given him permission to use his name or picture after accepting the samples.
Prosecutor Kayleigh Simmons said: “All of the products had the branding of Global Nutrition and had numerous labelling irregularities.”
It’s said Havenhand made around £20,000 from the venture.
Labels indicating they contained 30g of protein were inaccurate, and failed to list any ingredients which could cause an allergic reaction.
Havenhand claimed the products were just samples, but admitted he’d never had them tested and had not labelled them correctly. The court also heard Global Nutrition had gone into liquidation in February.
The 49-year-old pleaded guilty to 12 counts including failing to comply with food safety regulations, misleading commercial practice, and carrying on a business with intent to defraud.
In an ironic twist, Lowri Wyn Morgan, defending, said Havenhand had suffered ill health from himself taking substances which had not been properly tested.
Judge William Gaskell described Havenhand’s actions as “potentially dangerous and grossly irresponsible”.
He added: “You sold a grossly inferior product in breach of all the regulations.”
Havenhand was sentenced to eight months in jail suspended for two years and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.