Second man sentenced over illicit tobacco sales in Dewsbury

Jordan Corrigan, from Dewsbury, appeared at Kirklees Magistrates Court on Friday, June 18, when he pleaded guilty to the offences while working at Biedronka, on Huddersfield Road in the town.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with 15 days of rehabilitation attendance and 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to make a £600 cost contribution, due to his current financial circumstances, and a £90 victim surcharge.

The premises was well known to West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service (WYTSS), with the service having received many complaints about the business supplying illicit and duty free tobacco.

Mr Corrigan has been working at Biedronka for a number of years and was present and working during some of the visits and seizures by Trading Standards.

Mr Corrigan was also confirmed as the person who sold illicit tobacco products to test purchasers.

This was the second part of a case that resulted in a prison sentence for Mr Hishyar Gully, the owner of Biedronka.

On June 8, Mr Gully, from Dewsbury, appeared at Leeds Crown Court for selling illicit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco from Biedronka.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 months' custody for the trademark offences and a sentence of four months' custody for the breach of the safety regulations. Those sentences were ordered to run concurrently with one another but were not suspended.

A Proceeds of Crime Act investigation has also commenced and a hearing has been arranged for the end of the year.