A shopper ripped plastic sheeting from ‘non-essential’ items in a Tesco store in Wales because he had reached ‘breaking point’ over ‘unfair and illogical’ coronavirus rules, a court heard today.
Video of Gwilym Llwyd Owen tearing down the sheeting at the supermarket in Bangor on October 23 was played in court today.
Staff at the Tesco branch had wrapped up items deemed not important by the country’s government during its ‘firebreak’ shutdown.
The clip showed Owen, who was not wearing a mask, shouting: ‘Since when have clothes been exempt?, rip the f***ers off… kids’ f***ing clothes, it is a disgrace.’
When a security staff member approached Owen, a 28-year-old apprentice plasterer, had replied: ‘Since when has clothing not been essential?’
The store worker, who was wearing a face covering, confronted him over an F&F label stall while the cameraman ran away from another employee.
Appearing at Caernarfon Magistrates’ Court today, Owen pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the plastic sheeting at the store.
He also admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
Gwilym Llwyd Owen, 28, today pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the plastic sheeting at the store. He also admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress
Gilly Harradence, defending Owen, said the background to this incident was the Welsh Government’s draconian ‘firebreak’ lockdown, which had bizarrely restricted the sale of ‘non-essential’ items to suppress the virus. Various protests took place and First Minister’s Mark Drakeford’s Labour administration amended the regulations just days later
Prosecutor Diane Williams told the court that a security officer had been on a rest break when he noticed plastic sheeting on the floor.
The officer, Jared Ward, said staff told that him two men had pulled the sheets off the clothing. Mr Ward followed them and asked them to ‘calm down’.
Ms Williams said: ‘It was clear that Mr Owen was irate and was shouting about the recent lockdown measures, swearing and saying that children’s clothes are essential.
‘He was not wearing a mask and not complying with the two metres requirement.’
The prosecutor added that another staff member, Rafael Chaves, also ‘faced the wrath’ of the defendant. ‘He (Mr Chaves) used his hand in an outward and open way to try to diffuse the situation,’ Ms Williams told the court.
Another Tesco worker said in a statement that staff had worked ‘extremely hard’ during the pandemic and spent time making the cordon to close off shelves.
She added: ‘The male pulled off the layers and we had to spend time replacing it.’
The prosecutor said someone posted footage of the incident on Facebook. Officers downloaded this footage, which was played in court today.
Police went to the defendant’s home in Gaerwen, where he was arrested for a public order offence, criminal damage and breaching Covid-19 regulations.
The prosecutor told Caernarfon Magistrates’ Court that Owen then ‘stood up, moved back and said ‘f***ing fascists, the lot of you’.’
Video of Gwilym Llwyd Owen tearing down the sheeting at the supermarket in Bangor on October 23 was played in court today. Staff at the Tesco branch had wrapped up items deemed not important by the country’s government during its first firebreak shutdown
The clip showed Owen, who was not wearing a mask, shouting: ‘Since when have clothes been exempt?, rip the f***ers off… kids’ f***ing clothes, it is a disgrace’
Gilly Harradence, defending Owen, said the background to this incident was the Welsh Government’s draconian ‘firebreak’ lockdown, which had bizarrely restricted the sale of ‘non-essential’ items to suppress the virus.
She said there had been controversy over which items should be classed as ‘non-essential’, adding: ‘This encouraged online shopping when a lot of people felt we should be supporting local stores.’
Various protests took place and First Minister’s Mark Drakeford’s Labour administration amended the regulations just days later.
‘Mr Owen just wanted to highlight the unfairness and illogicality of the regulations,’ she said. ‘He did not expect the publicity and media interest. That was also very stressful.’ The video went viral and was shown worldwide, she added.
Ms Harradence said the defendant had mean to hold a ‘peaceful protest’. ‘He did not intend to hurt or distress anybody and has apologised to staff,’ she said.
She quoted Owen’s father, a retired Cheshire County Council outward bound centre worker and an adviser for Holyhead and Llangefni Rotary Club, who was in court.
In a statement, Mr Owen Sr said: ‘The Covid-19 pandemic has caused an untold amount of mental stress to many and appears to have had an impact on the younger generation.’ His son’s actions came after an ‘accumulation of several months of stress caused by the pandemic’ reached ‘breaking point’.
Their son is well-mannered, dislikes show-offs and is an animal lover, he added. ‘This is in total contrast to how he would have been perceived by shoppers and members of staff,’ Mr Owen Sr said in a statement read to court.
Stringent measures will see pubs, bars and restaurants only allowed to remain open until 6pm from Friday, and operate as takeaways afterwards. They will not be allowed to serve alcoholic drinks under a scheme like that in place in Scotland for weeks
Wales has since been plunged into another lockdown, just weeks after oppressive and economy-wrecking restrictions were lifted. Coronavirus cases have risen from 160 per 100,000 to 210 per 100,000 in the past 10 days – an increase of 31 per cent
Ms Harradence said Owen wasn’t wearing a facemask because he doesn’t have to as he has asthma. Coronavirus regulations require coverings to be worn in all indoor public spaces. Legal exemptions include asthma and whether or not wearing a mask would cause the wearer distress.
Sentencing was adjourned to allow the Probation Service to compile a report for magistrates.
Wales has since been plunged into another lockdown, just weeks after oppressive and economy-wrecking restrictions were lifted.
Stringent measures will see pubs, bars and restaurants only allowed to remain open until 6pm from Friday, and operate as takeaways afterwards.
They will not be allowed to serve alcoholic drinks under a scheme like that in place in Scotland for weeks.
Mr Drakeford outlined the raft of measures for the hospitality sector yesterday amid an uptick in coronavirus infections, especially among the under-25s.
The move follows the previous ‘firebreak’ lockdown between October 23 and November 9. When that ended, people were allowed to meet indoors in groups of up to four people in places like pubs and restaurants, with no alcohol sales before 6pm and a 10.20pm curfew.
Up to 15 people were also allowed to take part in ‘an organised indoors activity’ like an exercise class, and non-essential retain reopened.
But coronavirus cases have risen from 160 per 100,000 to 210 per 100,000 in the past 10 days – an increase of 31 per cent.
Mr Drakeford told a Welsh Government press conference that coronavirus was ‘accelerating across Wales’ and the gains achieved during the country’s 17-day firebreak lockdown were being eroded.
He said that unless action was taken now, the number of people with coronavirus in Welsh hospitals could reach 2,200 by January 12. The restrictions will be formally reviewed by December 17 and then every three weeks.