Why are smokies illegal

Ieuan Rees, representing Gale, said his client believed the "craft" of making smokies should be legalised, and he had been almost "evangelising" to ensure the law was changed. Unfortunately, the craft is not legal and Mr Gale must accept that and accept any punishment he receives - but that is the context.

The court heard when Gale was pulled over, the carcasses were scorched and stacked on a dirty carpet on the floor of the van. There were a further five plastic bags on top of them containing other smoked meats that did not have the health or slaughter stamps required by law. Prosecutor Jonathan Austin said it was "not clean or in a hygienic state", while officers who investigated Gale's farm found evidence of illegal slaughter inside and outside the building.

This site requires a JavaScript enabled browser. See also: Guide to selecting lambs for slaughter. Photographs released by the team show a pen of live sheep next to hanging carcasses and a pool of blood and dirt. Gas canisters were also recovered during the raid, which involved multiple agencies including the animal health department at Pembrokeshire County Council.

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Ten years on from his conviction for running a slaughterhouse for the production of smokies, we quiz Gale on his supposed mafia-like status. In his opinion the association only came about because of a his Mediterranean-sounding name. Despite being sentenced to six months in prison for his activities, Gale is unflinching in his commitment to change the law on smokies, seeing himself as a campaigner rather than a criminal. If you believe in something you've got to stick to it.

I'm fighting on behalf of the farmer to get this trade legal, and also fighting for the African people because it's their culture. The Food Standards Agency FSA take issue specifically with smokies because the skin, spine and intestines are kept intact during the smoking. The argument is that potentially lethal bacteria could pass from the skin of the sheep into the meat and, at the moment, there's not enough information about the risks of the practices to justify legalising it.

We make our way to Cardiff to meet a family who are preparing a smokie lunch. Until now it's been hard to appreciate the demand for the reportedly gruesome dish.