Tin ingot theft alleged
THREE men have been sent to the Crown Court accused of conspiring to steal valuable materials from the Tata Steel plant at Trostre.
The case was heard at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 5), where the defendants appeared charged with conspiracy to steal tin ingots from the Trostre Steelworks in Llanelli.
Prosecutors allege that the three men – Christopher Carter, aged 38, of Pemberton Road, Llanelli; Scott Phillips, aged 37, of Bryngwyn Road, Llanelli; and Gareth Lewis, aged 41, of Heol Stanllyd, Llanelli – entered into an agreement to steal quantities of tin ingots belonging to Tata Steel UK.
The alleged conspiracy is said to have taken place over an extended period between July 1, 2023 and October 31, 2024.
Tin ingots are a processed metal product used in steel coating and manufacturing, and the material produced at Trostre is widely used in the packaging industry, including food and drink containers.
The charge alleges that the defendants dishonestly agreed together to remove the metal from the steelworks without authority, contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
Conspiracy offences are treated seriously by the courts as they involve agreements between two or more people to commit a criminal offence.
Because of the seriousness of the allegation and the potential value of the materials involved, magistrates ruled that the case was not suitable to be dealt with at the magistrates’ court.
All three defendants were sent to Swansea Crown Court where the case will proceed.
