Court case against meat promoter dropped

A Mid Wales farmer and businessman who has spent 40 years promoting Welsh lamb, says he has been vindicated after trading standards charges against him were dropped.

Edward Hamer, of Llanidloes, who formed Welsh Lamb Enterprises, had faced six charges connected with allegedly selling Welsh lamb burgers containing meat not from Wales.

But yesterday the charges and six more against the Edward Hamer Limited Company were dismissed by magistrates at Brecon law courts.

Powys County Council, which had brought the charges, withdrew them after failing to win an adjournment in the case.

Mr David Haines, for the council, had asked for the adjournment to get statements from meat suppliers.

But magistrates said the case dated back 18 months and that it was having a prejudicial effect on Mr Hamer and his business. The charges dated from July 24, 2008, when it had been alleged that Mr Hamer had sold burgers described as Welsh lamb at the Royal Welsh Show, when he had allegedly not taken due diligence to ensure that the meat was Welsh.

After the charges were dismissed Mr Hamer, 60, said: "I have been vindicated and this is a great relief. I fully believed that what I was selling was a Welsh product."

Mr Hamer, now semi-retired, said: "I have spent my entire working life promoting Welsh lamb. However, the reputation that I have built up over the past 40 years has been put under deep scrutiny."