Darrel Evans of Wellingtonia Avenue, Wokingham, was sentenced on 20th June 2024 at Reading Crown Court after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to three counts relating to fraud, unfair trading and licensing.
This prosecution followed an investigation by officers from the shared trading standards service and prosecuted by the Joint Case Management Unit for Wokingham Borough Council.
The investigation commenced when officers carried out a review of internet platforms where puppies were being sold back in 2021. If litters are being sold for a business, with a view to making a profit, an Animal Activity Licence is required. Mr Evans was identified as one such seller.
Further investigation into his activities revealed that Mr Evans was selling puppies under at least three different aliases, either as a breeder or private seller, and at a frequency that marked him out as a business. He should have held a licence which he did not. One advert contained an animal activity licence number that did not relate to him.
Mr Evans was subsequently charged with fraud by false representation for claiming to be a private seller. He was also charged with unfair trading for claiming to be licensed when he was not. Finally, there was one count of operating without a licence contrary to animal welfare legislation.
On the 20th June 2024 at Reading Crown Court Mr Evans was handed a fifteen-month custodial sentence for fraud. In addition, he was sentenced to two months custodial sentence for unfair trading and one month for trading without a licence. All sentences were to run concurrently and were suspended for eighteen months. Finally, Mr Evans was also ordered to complete 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement, pay £1000 compensation and £1000 towards prosecution costs.
Commenting on the case Steve Brown, Assistant Director of Environment & Safety for Wokingham Borough Council said, “Animal welfare legislation is in place to provide protections for animals and consumers. It is important that all businesses and individuals operating and carrying out activity that requires a licence, to ensure that they have obtained one. Where we find evidence that this is not been the case, such as this, we will take action to prosecute and protect residents and consumers”
The Shared Trading Standards Service and Joint Case Management Unit deliver services on behalf of Bracknell Forest Council, Wokingham Borough Council and West Berkshire Council.
Notes:
The Public Protection Partnership (PPP) is a shared service delivering Environmental Health, Licensing and Trading Standards to people and businesses on behalf of Bracknell Forest Council, and West Berkshire Council.
PPP work jointly with Wokingham Borough Council to provide a Trading Standards, Financial Investigation and Case Management Service across the three authority areas.
These services encompass a wide range of areas of responsibility from environmental protection to fair trading, food safety to animal health, housing standards to taxi licensing, and more.
Website: www.publicprotectionpartnership.org.uk
Facebook: @PublicProtectionPartnershipUK
Twitter: @PublicPP_UK
