Smuggled cigs kept at meat pie factory

When police searched Peter Haigh's meat pie factory in Carlton Industrial Estate, Barnsley, they discovered 15,880 Greek cigarettes and 198 pouches of tobacco, while at his home in Thorne End Road, Staincross, Barnsley, they unearthed a further 29,560 counterfeit Sovereign cigarettes in the garage.

In total the amount of tax duty evaded on the products was over 10,500.

Haigh, aged 62, pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property, which was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service instead of two charges of money laundering that he had denied.

Three other men and one woman, all from Barnsley, will be sentenced next month for their roles in the counterfeit operation involving 600,000 cigarettes worth 29,000.

They are Paul Dansby, aged 33 of Limes Way, Gawber; Nicola Leishman, aged 35, of Laithes Lane, Athersley North; Kevin Porter, aged 59, of Ladymead, Monk Bretton and James Sanders, aged 35, of Laithes Crescent, Athersley North.

Sam Green, defending Haigh, said his level of "criminal wrong-doing" was limited - effectively amounting to "turning a blind eye" to the goods being stored at his home and business.

He said Haigh received no financial gain from the operation, but added: "He recognises that he should have intervened and there was a level of moral weakness in not doing so."

Sentencing him to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months with a six month supervision order, the judge, Recorder Henry Prosser, said: "I accept that you yourself took no part in the dealing of the cigarettes, but this was an extensive network of dealing and on your premises was a substantial amount of cigarettes and tobacco."

Haigh was also ordered to pay 300 towards the costs of the case.