THE OWNERS of a Milford Haven discount shop have pleaded guilty to two charges relating to the display and sale of dangerous goods.
Poundstretcher Ltd, of Havens Head Business Park, admitted at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday that on September 20 they displayed, and allowed a customer to purchase, batteries which were likely to leak acid and which did not meet safety standards at their Poundstretcher Xtra store.
Pembrokeshire Council solicitor Geoff Harries told the court:
“Poundstetcher were in court in Swansea on July 26, 2012, when the company pleaded guilty to eight charges of allowing dangerous goods to be sold.
“The Super Power brand batteries were subject to tests when customers in Swansea reported to trading standards officers that they had bought defective products.”
He added: “Poundstretcher had purchased over 2.2 million packs of batteries from a Chinese supplier, but their company secretary admitted in a letter that no steps had been taken to test the quality or safety of the products.
“When they were fined in July 2012 there was a destruction order made for 74,570 packs. The company sent a memo to all stores requesting that five types of the batteries were taken off sale, but two further types were still available to the public.”
Mr Harries continued: “On September 20, 2012 trading standards officers made a test purchase of Super Power batteries, and this is what these charges relate to.”
Defending counsel Gwilym Roberts-Harry, of Angel Chambers, told the court: “It was by luck rather than design that no one was seriously injured by the acid leaking from the batteries.”
The barrister added: “It seems that people on the bottom floor at the company did not realise that these items should not have been sold.
“This is an isolated incident since the case in Swansea in 2012,” he said.
On sentencing the chairman of the bench told the court: “We are very disappointed that Poundstretcher did not take steps to ensure the safety of the public.”
The company was fined a total of £8940.69, which included costs to Pembrokeshire County Council of £2365.20
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