FOUR family members who ran a Porthmadog skip hire firm have been banned from holding HGV operator licences by the Wales Traffic Commissioner.

Traffic commissioner Nick Jones banned four members of the Gaffey family, who ran Porthmadog Skip Hire, from holding operators licences, saying that 90-year-old Joseph John Gaffey had been “badly let down” by his children, Patricia Gaffey, Michael Gaffey and Joseph Benedict Gaffey, when they took over the business.

All four were banned from holding operator licences, with Joseph Gaffey senior and Patricia Gaffey also banned from holding a transport manager position in any company indefinitely.

Patricia Gaffey, Michael Gaffey and Joseph Gaffey junior were all jailed for 10 months after being convicted in March this year of illegally storing waste.

That conviction prompted a public inquiry in May this year with Mr Jones ruling that two operator licences – one held by the partners of the company and one held by Joseph Gaffey senior – should be revoked.

See this week’s north editions for the full story, in shops and online now