Western Mail

Three cockle pickers sentenced

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THREE men, who were caught illegally cockle poaching on the Dee Estuary, have been sentenced for their crimes.

Court hearings heard the trio stood to make a significan­t profit from the cockles, which were valued at up to £10,500.

In late 2020, after receiving intelligen­ce about illegal cockle poaching, Natural Resources Wales launched an investigat­ion with North Wales Police. The informatio­n suggested several cockle poachers were operating at night on the Dee Estuary.

As a result of the investigat­ion, two men were caught unloading cockles from a boat onto a slipway, and a third man was identified as being involved in the illegal retention and removal of these cockles in December 2020. The suspects were identified as David Lee Rigby, Leon Brick and Bryn Davies.

The operation resulted in two seizures of cockles weighing three tons with a market value of between £9,000-£10,500. More than a year since they were arrested, Rigby, Brick and Davies have been sentenced for the crimes.

Following a two-day trial at Wrexham Magistrate­s’ Court in April, David Lee Rigby, was convicted in his absence and was referred to the Crown Court for sentence and considerat­ion of Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA). Bryn Davies was fined £2,400 and ordered to pay £2,500 costs, whilst Leon Brick was fined £180 and ordered to pay £500 costs.

On Friday, May 13, Rigby was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,500 costs. In addition a Proceeds of Crime Act Order was agreed and Rigby has to pay a sum of £3,750 within three months.

If this is not paid, there is a three-month default custodial sentence.

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