A food vendor has been ordered to pay nearly £10,000 in fines and costs after unlawfully trading in a layby.

Ozgur Kayaoglu, age 49, of Thornford Drive, Westlea, Swindon, was seen selling food out of a VW Crafter Van in the layby along the A415 Marcham Road between the A34 and the minor road to Shippon, near Abingdon.

At a hearing on January 12, Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard how Vale of White Horse District Council licensing officers advised Mr Kayaoglu he could not trade in that location as he did not have the required consent.

The court heard how Mr Kayaoglu was aggressive and intimidating towards the officers carrying out their duties.

Magistrates found Mr Kayaoglu, who did not attend the hearing, guilty of six counts of unlawful street trading.

He was fined £1,000 for each count, as well as being ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and prosecution costs of £1,087.00, making a total of £9,087.00.

Councillor Helen Pighills, Cabinet Member for Community Health and Wellbeing at Vale of White Horse District Council, said:

“Consent is vital in ensuring we can control the safety of the food being sold to the public and the vehicle from which the food was served.

“Those who flout the rules could be endangering the public, whose safety is our top priority, while also undermining those licensed street traders who have followed the proper procedure.

“I hope this case acts as a warning to others thinking they do not have to seek the required street trading consent.”