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| Worker's meat firm blackmail bid | Worker's meat firm blackmail bid |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A Polish worker has been jailed for four years for attempting to blackmail a west Wales meat processing plant. | A Polish worker has been jailed for four years for attempting to blackmail a west Wales meat processing plant. |
| Leszek Burkiewiez, 46, from Morriston, Swansea, faked photos claiming to show unhygienic working conditions inside the Dawn Pac plant at Cross Hands. | Leszek Burkiewiez, 46, from Morriston, Swansea, faked photos claiming to show unhygienic working conditions inside the Dawn Pac plant at Cross Hands. |
| A judge at Swansea Crown Court heard the scam could have cost the business £15m as it considered a product recall. | A judge at Swansea Crown Court heard the scam could have cost the business £15m as it considered a product recall. |
| Burkiewiez, who admitted blackmail, said he would give rivals the photos unless Dawn Pac paid him £11,770. | Burkiewiez, who admitted blackmail, said he would give rivals the photos unless Dawn Pac paid him £11,770. |
| Burkiewiez, who does not speak English, admitted the offence in May, by sending the company an unwarranted demand for money with menaces. | |
| John Hipkin, prosecuting, told the court Dawn Pac employed between 600 and 1,100 people depending on demand and relied on the CSA recruitment agency to supply workers. | John Hipkin, prosecuting, told the court Dawn Pac employed between 600 and 1,100 people depending on demand and relied on the CSA recruitment agency to supply workers. |
| Burkiewiez was one of those supply workers who joined the firm in October, 2005. | Burkiewiez was one of those supply workers who joined the firm in October, 2005. |
| 'Mice and vermin' | 'Mice and vermin' |
| He used his mobile telephone to take hundreds of images, as well as making 23 short films, which allegedly showed poor working conditions. | He used his mobile telephone to take hundreds of images, as well as making 23 short films, which allegedly showed poor working conditions. |
| The images, included mice and vermin poison in close proximity to meat, had been fabricated. | The images, included mice and vermin poison in close proximity to meat, had been fabricated. |
| Dawn Pac, said Mr Hipkin, supplied every well known, high street store and the company took its responsibilities very seriously. | Dawn Pac, said Mr Hipkin, supplied every well known, high street store and the company took its responsibilities very seriously. |
| The plant was described as one of Europe's leading meat processing firms and turned over £200m a year. | The plant was described as one of Europe's leading meat processing firms and turned over £200m a year. |
| Blackmail is a nasty offence. The economic harm that might have been caused would have been considerable Judge Christopher Morton | Blackmail is a nasty offence. The economic harm that might have been caused would have been considerable Judge Christopher Morton |
| Retailers frequently carried out spot audits to ensure working conditions were of the highest standard. | Retailers frequently carried out spot audits to ensure working conditions were of the highest standard. |
| Mr Hipkin said Burkiewiez sent the company two letters. | Mr Hipkin said Burkiewiez sent the company two letters. |
| The first demanded that Dawn Pac employ seven named individuals--including Burkiewiez himself - directly and not through the CSA agency and to pay them £170 in cash. | The first demanded that Dawn Pac employ seven named individuals--including Burkiewiez himself - directly and not through the CSA agency and to pay them £170 in cash. |
| Burkiewiez denied a charge of blackmail in relation to that letter and the plea was accepted by the prosecution because, explained Mr Hipkin, it was just a forerunner of a more serious demand. | Burkiewiez denied a charge of blackmail in relation to that letter and the plea was accepted by the prosecution because, explained Mr Hipkin, it was just a forerunner of a more serious demand. |
| The second letter was accompanied by photos and a threat that the material would be sent to rival firms if Dawn Pac did not hand over £11,770. | The second letter was accompanied by photos and a threat that the material would be sent to rival firms if Dawn Pac did not hand over £11,770. |
| The firm contacted the police and Burkiewiez, who had travelled to Poland for a short break, was arrested on his return. | The firm contacted the police and Burkiewiez, who had travelled to Poland for a short break, was arrested on his return. |
| Complex inquiry | Complex inquiry |
| Pc Emyr Griffiths searched his rucksack and found a mobile telephone memory card with 819 images and 23 short films, all apparently taken inside the Dawn Pac premises. | Pc Emyr Griffiths searched his rucksack and found a mobile telephone memory card with 819 images and 23 short films, all apparently taken inside the Dawn Pac premises. |
| The images were timed and an examination of Burkiewiez's swipe card used to enter the plant showed he was at work when each was taken. | The images were timed and an examination of Burkiewiez's swipe card used to enter the plant showed he was at work when each was taken. |
| Some showed the photographer's shoes and identical pairs were found in Burkiewiez's possession. | Some showed the photographer's shoes and identical pairs were found in Burkiewiez's possession. |
| Burkiewiez's barrister, Ian Wright, agreed the photographs had been "staged.", adding his client, a father-of-three, was in financial difficulties. | Burkiewiez's barrister, Ian Wright, agreed the photographs had been "staged.", adding his client, a father-of-three, was in financial difficulties. |
| Judge Christopher Morton said the plan had involved a lot of preparation and thought. | Judge Christopher Morton said the plan had involved a lot of preparation and thought. |
| "Blackmail is a nasty offence. The economic harm that might have been caused would have been considerable." | "Blackmail is a nasty offence. The economic harm that might have been caused would have been considerable." |
| Welcoming the sentence, Dyfed-Powys Police said it had been "a complex inquiry" which had "an international aspect" with officers travelling to Poland to work with authorities there. | Welcoming the sentence, Dyfed-Powys Police said it had been "a complex inquiry" which had "an international aspect" with officers travelling to Poland to work with authorities there. |
| "During the investigation we worked very closely with Dawn Pac and a number of agencies which included the local authority, food standards agency and other law enforcement partners," a force statement said. | "During the investigation we worked very closely with Dawn Pac and a number of agencies which included the local authority, food standards agency and other law enforcement partners," a force statement said. |