HeyJo smoke rebel found guilty
Smoke ban rebel Dave West is facing a bill of nearly £8,000 after being found guilty of flouting the legislation.
Multi-millionaire West, licensee of HeyJo nightclub in London's West End, and his firm Jewelite Trading were found guilty of two breaches of the ban, at City of Westminster Magistrates Court yesterday.
He and his company were fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,591.
West had pleaded not guilty to both offences, which took place last August.
Daniel Astaire, Westminster City Council's community protection and licensing cabinet member, said: "Dave West has repeatedly broken the law since the smoking ban came into effect.
"Over 30,000 businesses are affected by the smoking legislation in Westminster but HeyJo is, tellingly, the only premises where we have resorted to enforcement action. Everyone else has adopted a responsible attitude to the legislation and the positive effects of a smoke free environment.
"While we are always disappointed to resort to legal action, Mr West has made some ludicrous claims and has wasted valuable court and council time and money.
"Today's result has, however, vindicated our position."
But speaking to thepublican.com, West said he was going to appeal the decision, by challenging the evidence the council had collected.
"I don't think I have wasted any court time, they are the ones that have sought to persecute me," he said.
West previously hired Cherie Blair as his lawyer to challenge the government on the ban in the European Courts - claiming it is an infringement of his human rights.
