Cheltenham Magistrates' Court Sentencing Results

Good Wok Mings Ltd, owner of the Good Wok takeaway on Bristol Road in Gloucester, was prosecuted after Environmental Health Officers from Gloucester City Council discovered severe hygiene breaches during an inspection in March 2025. Findings included a live mouse inside a food container, nibbled food storage bags, utensils stored next to mice droppings, traps with dead mice, and a dirty kitchen. The business failed to implement adequate procedures, leading to the closure of the takeaway.

Company pleaded guilty through Lili Wang to seven charges including failing to control pests, keep premises clean, follow food hygiene practices, and incorrect storage of food. Amount includes victim surcharge and costs.

Lili Wang, 44, manager of Good Wok takeaway on Bristol Road in Gloucester, was prosecuted after Environmental Health Officers from Gloucester City Council discovered severe hygiene breaches during an inspection in March 2025. Findings included a live mouse inside a food container, nibbled food storage bags, utensils stored next to mice droppings, traps with dead mice, and a dirty kitchen. Wang lived above the premises and failed to follow basic food hygiene practices, leading to the closure of the takeaway.

Pleaded guilty to seven charges including failing to control pests, keep premises clean, follow food hygiene practices, and incorrect storage of food. Amount includes victim surcharge and costs.

On March 14, 2025, during the Cheltenham Festival, Aneel Hussain, a licensed private hire driver with Tewkesbury Borough Council, was pulled over by a Cheltenham Borough Council officer and Avon and Somerset Police's taxi compliance officer for having non-working lights. It was discovered that he had picked up passengers on the roadside outside the Queen's Hotel without a pre-booking, which is illegal for private hire vehicles and invalidates the driver's insurance.

Pleaded guilty to plying for hire. Costs of £1157.50 awarded to the council. Councillor Victoria Atherstone commented on commitment to safety and legality of taxi services.

On 14-15 November 2022, Timothy Juckes, a 48-year-old farmer from Tredington House Farm, Tredington, near Tewkesbury, illegally discharged slurry into the River Swilgate due to a leaking pipe laid within the watercourse while pumping slurry from one lagoon to another. The Environment Agency received reports of pollution on November 16, 2022, and officers identified the source at the farm, noting a strong slurry smell, brown discoloured water, dead fish, low oxygen levels, and elevated ammonia in water samples. Jukes explained he did not support the pipe over the river to avoid damaging a wet re-seeded field and could not place it across the bridge due to tending sheep.

Pleaded guilty to illegally discharging slurry into the River Swilgate.

Jamie Pockett stole alcohol and joints of meat worth around £1,600 from a store in Winchcombe on four occasions between February 11 and March 8. He admitted to nearly 30 shoplifting offences in total, which were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and admitted to a further 25 shoplifting offences. An anti-social behaviour order was handed upon arrest, and a Criminal Behaviour Order application is pending. Police noted the harm caused to businesses.

Philippa Tovey caused unnecessary suffering to a puppy, resulting in its euthanasia due to severe injuries, and failed to meet the needs of five dogs and two guinea pigs. A warrant was executed at her premises in Drybrook on November 7, 2023, where the animals were seized because of concerns over their health and living conditions, involving multiple agencies including Forest of Dean District Council and Gloucestershire Police.

Pleaded guilty to offences under the Animal Welfare Act. Council leader emphasised the responsibility to ensure animal welfare and praised the investigation team.

Kennedy Kipchirchir was reported for swerving across the road while driving under the influence on May 3, 2025, narrowly avoiding collisions. He was found over the drink drive limit, without a valid driving licence, and with an expired MOT. Despite a previous disqualification in May 2024, he continued driving and attempted to evade arrest by swapping seats with a passenger. He was remanded in custody for nearly four weeks before sentencing.

Pleaded guilty to three counts of driving whilst above the legal alcohol limit, two counts of driving whilst disqualified, using a motor vehicle without third party insurance, and using a motor vehicle without a valid test certificate. Had a prior disqualification and showed disregard for the law.

Martin Nistor, a former shop owner, operated International Mini Market at 155 Barton Street, Gloucester, between August 2021 and March 2023, where illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco were regularly sold. Undercover trading standards officers made several purchases of illegal tobacco from the shop in January, February, and March 2023, with cigarettes sold for £7.50 per packet. These products lacked proper English labelling, health warnings, and were not intended for the UK market. On March 24, 2023, a search warrant on a vehicle linked to the shop revealed 307 packets of cigarettes worth around £2,700 and 47 pouches of hand rolling tobacco. The shop was closed via a closure order on March 29, 2023, as part of Operation Vanquish.

Pleaded guilty at a previous hearing.

Stuart Thatcher owned a derelict listed building at 5 Clarence Square in Cheltenham, within a designated conservation area. Despite repeated contacts from Cheltenham Borough Council's planning enforcement team since 2017, he failed to comply with a Section 215 Notice, leaving the property in poor condition with issues such as a structurally unsafe balcony, loose render, damaged doors, windows, and overall deterioration.

Pleaded guilty by post. Prosecution for failing to comply with a repair notice; council leader emphasised the importance of maintaining listed buildings and the impact of neglect on the area.

Gregory Games illegally dumped an old shed, timber planks, wood, and roof material on the public highway and Forestry England land at Pope’s Hill in the Forest of Dean on December 1, 2023. The incident was reported by a member of the public, and despite requests from Street Wardens and Forestry England to remove the waste, he failed to do so, leading to enforcement action by Forest of Dean District Council.

Pleaded guilty to the offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The clean-up of the dumped waste was carried out by BIFFA and Forestry England, incurring public expense.

Kelly Webb was involved in animal welfare offences where dogs in her care were found in poor, filthy, and cramped conditions at a premises in Arlingham. A warrant was executed in June 2023, leading to the seizure of seven dogs and a litter of puppies due to health concerns identified by an independent vet. Stroud District Council gained possession of the dogs under Section 20 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, with most later re-homed.

Pleaded guilty to offences relating to failing to meet the needs of dogs in her care and breeding dogs without a licence.

Charlotte Mace, 33, of Foxglove Close, Moreton-in-Marsh, used threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence in Moreton on September 1. She also possessed a kitchen knife in a public space at Foxglove Close.

Pleaded guilty on April 1. Required to undertake up to 15 days of rehabilitation activity. An order was issued to deprive her of the kitchen knife.

Toby Baxter, a farmer from Chedworth, failed to provide suitable equipment, ensure pre-use checks, implement a system to fill the spray tank, formally train employees, and properly assess risks. This negligence led to the death of 22-year-old Laura Simmons on June 2, 2023, at Spoonley Farm in Winchcombe, where a quad bike overturned due to an overloaded front rack, uneven tyre pressure, unstable load, and other issues.

Pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. HSE inspector Emily O’Neill described his claim of 'unfortunate circumstances' as offensive.

Kayleigh McConnon, aged 36 and of Vittoria Walk, Cheltenham, admitted to shoplifting perfume sets worth £387 from a shop. She appeared in court following multiple incidents of shoplifting in the area.

Admitted to stealing perfume sets worth £387. Prolific shoplifter in Cheltenham. Order prevents entry to any retail premises in Cheltenham except five specified locations.

Charles Puddick repeatedly pulled a Holstein Friesian cow by its ears and tail at Foyles abattoir in Cinderford on January 27, 2022, in an attempt to rouse it while it was lying down during transportation, in a manner likely to cause unnecessary pain or suffering. He was charged under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and related transport regulations.

Pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the welfare of an animal and failing to comply with transport regulations after initially pleading not guilty.

Andrew Scott admitted driving a Subaru Forester without due care and attention in Dudbridge Hill, Stroud on September 7, 2024.

Pleaded guilty. Aged 82, from Cam.

David Plant was caught speeding on the M5 at Standish on August 26, 2023, exceeding the 70mph speed limit while driving a Land Rover between junction 13 (Stroud) and junction 12 (Hardwicke).

Aged 40, from Minster Close, Doncaster, South Yorkshire; caught speeding on the M5.

Richard Hardy failed to provide the identity of the driver of a Vauxhall vehicle to Derbyshire Constabulary on January 18, 2023. This offence led to his court appearance, where he was found guilty despite pleading not guilty.

Pleaded not guilty but was found guilty. Also found not guilty of speeding in a 50mph zone on the M1 Northbound on October 10, 2023.

Ben Savory, of Savory Way in Cirencester, entered a Tesco Express store in the town on October 30, 2023, despite being prohibited from doing so by a Criminal Behaviour Order imposed in August 2022. He was sentenced after admitting to the breach and other related offences.

Admitted breaching the Criminal Behaviour Order and 10 other offences which were taken into consideration.

Alexander Locke, aged 42, drove a Porsche Macan without due care and attention at Elmbridge Court roundabout in Gloucester on June 7, 2023.

Changed his not guilty plea to guilty

Paul Drake was driving a Mercedes on an unclassified road in Tarlton on December 26, 2023, when he was not in a position to have proper control of the vehicle.

Pleaded guilty. Aged 70, from near Kemble.

Nick Knowles was caught driving at 85mph in his Range Rover on the A417 Brockworth bypass while using his mobile phone.

He showed remorse and described the ban as a 'wake-up call'. The fine included £666 for speeding, £666 for using his mobile phone, a £66 victim surcharge, and £85 prosecution costs.