A Proceeds of Crime application has been heard at Grimsby Crown Court with a total of £295,021.84 awarded against a Grimsby man, following what was the largest-ever haul of illegal cigarettes seized in North East Lincolnshire. This is the first time a Proceeds of Crime Application has been brought before the courts for North East Lincolnshire Council since the act was put in place back in 2003. North East Lincolnshire Council, with the support of Humberside Police, had executed a search warrant at the property in Exmoor Close, Healing, on 21 November 2021. This had followed reports from the public that illegal tobacco was being stored at the premises. Officers found 386,760 illegal cigarettes and 290 pouches of illegal tobacco, worth in excess of £227,000. As a result, a man and a woman pleaded guilty and were sentenced at a further hearing. Nabaz Rasul Mohammed, 29, a shopkeeper of Freeman Street, Grimsby, entered guilty pleas to 12 offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994, and a further four offences relating to the packaging of all the products seized. He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in custody, suspended for two years and to attend 20 days of Rehabilitation Activity. Meanwhile Angela Ammari, 51, of Exmoor Close, Healing, had pleaded guilty to 11 offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994 relating to 292,000 cigarettes and 50 x 50g pouches of tobacco which were found to be counterfeit copies of genuine brands, at an earlier hearing in October 2022. Ammari was sentenced to four months in custody suspended for 12 months and must also attend 20 days of Rehabilitation Activity. As a result of those court hearings, the Proceeds of Crime application was heard, and the award was made against Mr. Mohammed. However Ms. Ammari was only ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,575 within three months. Mr. Mohammed was ordered to pay £2,480.38 as a result of the Proceeds of Crime application within four to six weeks. Failure to comply with the order will result in imprisonment. In addition, total benefit costs were awarded against Mohammed of £293,446.84. This means any assets that are obtained by him (for example purchases made by him, inheritance, or such things as Lottery wins) would be applicable for seizure as part of the Proceeds of Crime Act. The money will be split three ways with approximately one third going to His Majesty’s Treasury; one third to the agency responsible for the collection of the monies (often the courts) and one third to the Local Authority bringing the claim and the financial investigation team. The Proceeds of Crime Act allows the authority to recover assets that an offender may have gained through illegal activity. It can be seen as a deterrent to certain ‘lifestyle’ offences, but also can be used to deprive an offender of any financial gain they may have made from the offences they have committed. It is commonly used for offences such as drug trafficking and money laundering but can also be used for counterfeiting and offences under the Trade Mark Act, such as the ones committed here. Councillor Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “This is a significant ruling for North East Lincolnshire Council and the partners who have worked hard together for this outcome. “I would like to thank everyone involved for bringing the case to this point and hopefully in the years ahead we will see more results like this. “It’s a shining example of how we as a Council will not shy away from prosecuting people who don’t follow the law. “The authority is committed to cracking down on this kind of criminal behaviour and this hearing illustrates that we will endeavour to bring people to justice. “It is this councils intention to pursue those who continue to sell counterfeit products through the proceeds of crime act. We are sending a very clear message that we will continue to act financially against those that break the law.”   Image courtesy of North East Lincolnshire Council

Gelder Group Chief Executive Officer Steve Gelder has used a silver spade to break the ground in a symbolic gesture, signalling the start of work on a £9m Savoy cinema in Gainsborough.

He said: “Having been born and brought up in Gainsborough, I am absolutely delighted that we have been awarded the contract to build the exciting new cinema.”

West Lindsey District Council and Savoy Cinema announced that local construction company the Gelder Group have secured the contract to build the state-of-the-art complex in the Market Place.

The development will deliver a four-screen cinema complex, restaurant, retail units and car parking provision in Gainsborough Town Centre. It is funded through contributions from the Council, the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the government’s Levelling Up Fund and Savoy Cinemas.

“I am passionate about seeing the town develop and grow in prominence in the years ahead. I am confident that the new cinema will provide an important focus point in the Market Place and have the power to bring many more visitors into the town.”

Savoy Cinemas MD James Collington said: “Today marks a significant milestone in developing our new state-of-the-art cinema, bringing us a step closer to unveiling the Savoy Experience in Gainsborough. We are looking forward to delivering excellent films, entertainment, and cutting-edge cinematic technology in the town centre for the local community and surrounding areas to enjoy.”

Leader of West Lindsey District Council Trevor Young and Gainsborough ward member said: “Today we are not only breaking ground on the physical construction of the site, but together with Savoy Cinemas, we are looking forward to working with Steve Gelder and his team, an award-winning construction company based right here in West Lindsey.

“The cinema is the anchor project in our Thriving Gainsborough 2024 regeneration programme and it demonstrates our continued commitment to deliver for the people of Gainsborough and surrounding area. This will bring a much-needed leisure offer to the town centre and significantly contribute to the town’s local economy, increasing footfall, dwell time and spend.”

The owner of a delicatessen and bistro has been ordered to pay more than £32,000 for failing to comply with food hygiene regulations. Twenty food safety and hygiene-related charges were issued after Environmental Health inspectors from South Kesteven District Council visited Oblio’s Deli & Bistro in Westgate, Grantham. Steven Thorsen, 72, admitted all charges at Boston Magistrates’ Court. During the hearing, magistrates saw photo evidence of the inadequate conditions and were told about unsafe food practices. Across separate inspections in 2022 and 2023, inspectors found whipped and single cream, pastry, cheese and raw meat that were past the use-by date, contravening the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013. Fridges in the premises were running at unsafe temperatures above 8°C to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and toxins. Expired cheese stored in the fridges had also grown mould. The prosecution highlighted a continued build-up of grease on walls and surfaces due to unsuitable and insufficient ventilation, inadequate provision of hand-washing facilities and the poor condition of floor surfaces. The court heard how the business was served two improvement notices in October 2022 but failed to resolve them in the time given. Sally Burke, prosecuting on behalf of SKDC, explained the responsibilities of food business operators and how cleaning and ventilation, regular date code checks and temperature control checks fall within this. She explained that despite guidance and support provided by the Council’s environmental health team, the defendant was unable to improve the conditions of the premises and practice safe food handling and storage. The court heard how Mr Thorsen had re-packaged cheese using vacuum packaging, without indicating the contents or the date in which the cheese would no longer be safe to use. The court also heard how the defendant had struggled with his health and had been let down by tradespeople he had contracted to carry out the improvement work, which has now been completed. Mr Thorsen was ordered to pay a fine, costs and surcharges totalling £32,312.72. He was fined £25,000 and must also pay the Council’s costs of £5,312.72 with a victim surcharge of £2,000. Cllr Rhea Rayside, SKDC Cabinet Member for People and Communities, said: “I hope this will send a strong message to all that the safety of our residents and visitors is a key priority. “I would like to highlight the work of the team for their diligence in achieving this successful prosecution, having provided a significant amount of support to the business for a number of years. “It is important that the Council takes court action in cases such as this, where the support offered by inspectors hasn’t been taken on board to ensure that food law is followed and that consumers are kept safe.”   Image courtesy of South Kesteven District Council

The Rt Hon Mark Harper MP visited the Lincoln Eastern Bypass on Monday 26 February.

  Image courtesy of Lincolnshire County Council

South Holland District Council has completed work to refresh and improve the availability of defibrillator equipment from council owned buildings in Spalding, installing seven new life-saving kits across the town. The work, carried out by the Council’s assets team, means that there are now nine council maintained defibrillators in the District, alongside dozens of others managed by other organisations and businesses. Through the new installations the Council hopes to provide quicker and reliable emergency response resources to residents and visitors should they ever need them, and is made possible through a Government scheme offering councils subsidised purchase of the vital equipment. Whilst carrying out installation the Council has also funded upgrades to equipment and cabinets to ensure the longevity of the facilities, which will be checked monthly to ensure batteries, pads and other equipment is within date and operational. The Council’s defibrillators can be found at the following locations: Accessible 24/7: •         Public toilets, Winfrey Avenue. •         Broadgate House, Westlode Street. •         The Lighthouse, Haverfield Road, The Lighthouse. Accessible during opening hours: •         South Holland District Council offices, Priory Road. •         South Holland Centre, Market Place. •         Ayscoughfee Gardens. •         Council Depot, West Marsh Road. •         Council Depot, Bervor Close. •         Spalding Cemetery, Pinchbeck Road. Exact locations of all defibrillators, as well as your nearest available one, can be found at www.defibfinder.uk. All council defibrillators are registered with The Circuit, the British Heart Foundation’s national network for ambulance services across the UK. If ever needed, they can be accessed by calling 999 who will share the best available location and the key code to access them safely. Councillor Henry Bingham, portfolio holder for assets and strategic planning, said: “I’m very pleased that we have been able to increase the availability of defibrillators in the District, by making sure we are doing all we can to make life-saving equipment available should the worst happen.”

Work has begun on constructing the new multi-million pound Emergency Department at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston. The demolition of the building next to the existing Emergency Department has been completed, foundations have been poured and the concrete infrastructure is being installed for the two-storey new build extension. Once the concrete floors, stairwells, lift shafts and other structural elements are in place, the exterior brickwork, walls and windows will be installed. Work will then begin on the interior and once completed the current Emergency Department will then relocate into this area early next year. This will then enable practically everything to be demolished, replaced and transformed in the current department, before the two areas merge in 2026. Once completed, the finished transformation will see the new department more than treble in size and include state-of-the-art innovations and infection prevention control measures. It will also have more cubicles to treat patients and a larger resuscitation zone for the sickest patients. It will also include a separate area dedicated to providing emergency care for the hospital’s youngest patients and their families. There will also be a dedicated calm space away from the busier areas of the main department where trained staff will be able to provide mental health support to patients. To support the Emergency Department the new build will also have a new X-ray and CT scanner to perform the necessary diagnostics to help assess patients. There will also be more training spaces available to help staff develop. United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Chief Executive, Andrew Morgan, said: “This is a really exciting stage of the transformation as we are seeing the construction work developing out of the ground. There is still a lot of work to be done, but it is great for everyone to see the progress that is being made. “I would also like to thank all of our patients, visitors and staff for their understanding and support. This is just the start of our transformation journey and we could not do it without your ongoing co-operation. “By working together, we are going to give our patients and staff the first-class Emergency Department that they need and deserve for the future.”   Image courtesy of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

A new council complex for people without homes and facing difficulties in supporting themselves to live independently, has welcomed its first residents. North East Lincolnshire Council has taken a long-term lease on Swan House – a 29-apartment building in New Haven Terrace, Grimsby. Developed and refurbished privately, the building was empty when the council stepped in. A welcome alternative to putting those who are eligible for statutory homelessness assistance in bed and breakfast or other alternative and expensive accommodation, clients are offered recently-furnished smart one and two-bed apartments within the secure complex. Once there, residents have fully fitted kitchens and appliances, such as washing machines, that enable them to live safely and do their own cooking and washing. They are also responsible for their own cleaning and managing their budgets to pay bills. Importantly, support is also available from the council and its partners to help those who may have issues with money, benefits, or health and wellbeing. Round-the-clock housing management, and external and internal CCTV also ensures security. The authority’s Leader, Cllr Philip Jackson, who also has responsibility for housing, welcomed the initiative as a blueprint for the future. “We were very excited at the idea of Swan House when we approved it at Cabinet last year, and now having seen it in person, it brings the idea to life. This facility will have such a positive impact on the lives of the most vulnerable people in our borough.”   Image courtesy of North East Lincolnshire Council