Latest news with #Broxburn
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Woman convicted over £1m tobacco factory is spared jail sentence due to baby
A woman who admitted her involvement in a £1m tobacco factory tax scam has been spared a prison sentence. Wiktoria Bejma walked free from Livingston Sheriff Court last week after the judge said doing so would be to the detriment of her newborn child. The 29-year-old criminal was even given credit for being the only member of the five-strong gang to 'face the music' after her four male co-accused fled the country. The court heard police went to the Thistle Business Park in Broxburn, West Lothian, in January 2022 after receiving a tip-off about suspicious activity there. After peeking inside the unit through a hole in the door officers called for back-up before entering the premises. Depute Fiscal Mandy Jones told the court that when the officers got inside they saw a man run into another room and slam the door shut. Inside the other room they found Bejma and three men 'actively involved in the process of operating highly sophisticated tobacco production and packaging machines'. Wiktoria Bejma leaving Livingston Sheriff Court after admitting revenue fraud The sophisticated set-up included expensive machinery and special insulation to mask the noise and smells from tobacco processing. Officers from His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) were called to the scene and found a mobile phone attributed to Bejma on top of one of the machines. It was found to contain a message stating: 'It starts tomorrow' and others arranging places for the workers to live in Edinburgh. The fiscal added that there were comments about the machines 'working fine' with one message asking: 'When will we get cigarettes to move?' The phone also contained videos and images of the machines in operation. Ms Jones said the value of the duty evaded as a result of the operation would have totalled £815,607. Around four tonnes of tobacco and the machinery were seized. Bejma pleaded guilty to her involvement in processing, manufacturing and packaging tobacco products at the illicit unit between October 20, 2022 and January 13, 2023. A tobacco machine inside Scotland's largest illicit manufacturing plant in Broxburn, West Lothian Meanwhile, arrest warrants have been issued for Andrius Parnarauskas, 39, Danas Butkevicius, 36, and Tomas Jutkeviucius, 23, after they failed to appear to answer the charge last year, sparking an international manhunt which is still ongoing. Bejma's lawyer said his client, who now lives in England, had no previous convictions and had just given birth to child. He explained that she became involved after her business failed following the Covid epidemic and she found herself unable to repay a loan. He claimed she had only visited the premises on two occasions but conceded that she had played an active role in running the operation, adding: 'She's genuinely remorseful and accepts that she should not have been involved in this offending which she fully accepts is serious.' Passing sentence, Sheriff Valerie Mays said she had considered the mitigating factors, including Bejma's remorse. She added: 'I also accept that only you of the five in this case have in effect stayed to face the music. 'It's my understanding that the others have outstanding warrants for their apprehension and have fled the country. 'I also have regard to the fact that you have a young baby and the effect that a custodial sentence would have on that child. 'Given the fact that you have a young baby I feel I can just step back from imposing a custodial sentence.' As a direct alternative to a prison sentence, she imposed a community payback order comprising 12 months social work supervision and 300 hours of unpaid work. In addition, she told Bejma she would be electronically tagged to remain in her home in England from 8.30pm to 7am for five months under a restriction of liberty order. She adjourned consideration of a Crown motion for confiscation of cash and assets under Proceeds of Crime legislation until August 8. Joe Hendry, assistant director for HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service, said it was 'one of the largest and most sophisticated tobacco factories ever uncovered in Scotland'. He commented: 'We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target anyone we suspect as being involved in the illicit tobacco trade. 'The illicit tobacco trade steals money from our vital public services, undercuts legitimate businesses and can fund other crimes that harm our communities.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Two charged with murder after death of 18-year-old
Two men have appeared in court charged with murder after an 18-year-old man died following a disturbance in Broxburn, West Lothian. Adam Nevin died in hospital on Sunday after police were called to a property on McCann Avenue at about 01:15 on Friday. Connor Jenkinson, 25, from West Lothian and Shane Jenkinson, 28, from Armadale, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday. They were both charged with murder and were remanded in custody. All three men were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after police were called to reports of a disturbance in the early hours of Friday morning. There was a large police presence in Uphall following the incident. Officers were still at the scene on Monday and as part of the investigation they were seen cutting down a large hedge.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- BBC News
Man, 18, dies in hospital and two arrested after Broxburn disturbance
An 18-year-old man has died following a disturbance in Broxburn, West Lothian. Adam Nevin died in hospital on Sunday after police were called to a property on McCann Avenue at about 01:15 on Friday. Two men, aged 25 and 28, were also taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for have been arrested and charged over Nevin's death. The men are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- BBC News
Three men taken to hospital after house disturbance in Broxburn
Three men were taken to hospital after a house disturbance in West Scotland said officers were called to a property on McCann Avenue, Broxburn, at about 01:15 on injured men, aged 18, 25 and 28, were treated at Edinburgh's Royal 28-year-old was later arrested in connection with the incident and is due to appear at Livingston Sheriff Court on Monday.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- BBC News
Man killed wife in Broxburn weeks after abuse case collapsed
Man killed wife weeks after abuse case collapsed 8 minutes ago Share Save Share Save Police Scotland Veronica Chinyanga begged for her life as her husband turned on her in their back garden in Broxburn An NHS worker who murdered his wife just weeks after an earlier domestic abuse case collapsed has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years. Kasikai Chinyanga, 47, killed Veronica Chinyanga as she begged for her life in the back garden of their home in Broxburn, West Lothian, on 9 June last year. The 42 year-old mother had predicted Chinyanga may not forgive her for previously reporting him to police. Ms Chinyanga was repeatedly struck with a pronged garden tool - in front of neighbours - before being stabbed in the stomach with a knife. Chinyanga returned to the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday having earlier admitted to the murder. Jailing him for life, Lord Mulholland said the killing had been "cowardly, savage and brutal". The couple had moved to Scotland from Zimbabwe in 2008. They had a teenage son together and Veronica's 20 year-old daughter also lived with them. Chinyanga worked in finance for the NHS. He was training to be an accountant at the time. His wife - born Chitsidzo, but known as Veronica - was involved in a project to help international health workers adapt to a new country. Prosecutor Wojciech Jajdelski told how there had been "a history of domestic incidents" between the couple. He added: "Despite some being reported, criminal proceedings were not concluded due to an apparent reluctance on the part of Veronica Chinyanga to attend court. "In particular, her second failure to attend as a witness in a summary trial on 27 May 2024 - two weeks before (the murder) - lead to discontinuation of the case." The charge had included a claim that Chinyanga had been aggressive with his wife, struggled with her and pushed her in early 2023. The court heard how on 2 June 2024, Ms Chinyanga had texted one of her sisters to say she believed her husband "was not going to forgive her" and was "bitter" at her calling police in connection with her previous allegations. Audio footage
