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On 10 May 2024, at Reading Magistrates’ Court, Mr Wai Tak Wu, trading as Szechuan Inn at 7 High Street, Thatcham, was sentenced after pleading guilty to two offences at an earlier hearing on the 22nd March 2024, for selling and placing on the market food that was unsafe for people that are allergic to peanuts contrary to Regulation 19 (1) of The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 and to section 14 (1) of the Food Safety Act 1990.

On 03 May 2024, at Reading Crown Court, Thomas Wilson aged 41, from Main Street, Alne in York and Dale Fastnedge aged 33 from Lindsay Close, Stanwell in Surrey were sentenced for unfair trading contrary to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

WhatsApp group chat members are being warned they could be targeted by criminals. Action Fraud has revealed that it has received 636 reports from victims of the messaging app this year.

On 16 April 2024, at Reading Magistrates Court, Mark Bell, aged 41, from West Road, Farnborough, was convicted of three offences. Two offences of fraud by false representation and one of failing to meet the professional standards of a reasonably competent and diligent trader, which arose from the context of his business ‘MBS Roofing and Guttering’.

On 5th April 2024, at Reading Magistrates Court, Jagtar Singh Bajaj, a Director of Everyday Express Limited trading as Costcutter Store in Sagecroft Road, Thatcham along with the company both entered guilty pleas to charges relating to the presenting for sale at retail level of 990 disposable electronic cigarettes exceeding the permitted capacity as set out in the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016. The pleas led to a total penalty of over £6,000.

West Berkshire Council wants your say on whether hackney carriage operators should be permitted to increase their fares or not.

The first reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill took place on the 20 March 2024.

Earlier this month Trading Standards Officers from the Public Protection Partnership (PPP) conducted underage sales testing for a range of age restricted products including vapes, alcohol and lottery tickets in six different premises in the Bracknell Forest area.

The Public Protection Partnership (PPP) enforces weight restriction orders made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Kalyan Gurung, aged 51, of Deepfield Road, Bracknell, was convicted at Slough Magistrates Court on 12 March 2024, after pleading guilty to operating an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO) under the Housing Act 2004, and four offences under management of HMO regulations.