Rebel butcher Dave Stephens was today claiming victory after Southend Council said it had no plans to prosecute him - yet.

Mr Stephens, co-owner of Mandy's Chop Shop in Leigh Broadway, has defiantly ignored a ruling to ditch pounds and ounces and change his scales to metric measurements.

He challenged Southend Council to take legal action but despite officers issuing a 28-day enforcement notice which ran out almost a month ago, nothing further has happened.

After a meeting with council chiefs yesterday, Mr Stephens claims the council has dropped all plans to prosecute him.

However, George Krawiec, Southend's chief executive and town clerk, said the council was still considering various issues and was taking advice from the trading standards department and the Department for Trade and Industry.

Mr Krawiec said: "We had a meeting with Mr Stephens and a UK Independence Party solicitor. We explained that we were still considering various issues including legal opinion by his counsel.

"The council is also taking advice from trading standards officials and the DTi. We have told Mr Stephens that he will not face any court action until the matter is further considered and a full report has gone before cabinet."

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