FSA welcomes prosecution of slaughterhouse operative
Offences were laid jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service and FSA's prosecution team, following a multi-agency investigation.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has welcomed the successful prosecution of a slaughterhouse operative in Staffordshire this week, describing it as a 'significant landmark' in the use of covert footage as evidence in a criminal case.
According to the FSA, Mr Anthony Bagshaw was sentenced to a total of 10 months' imprisonment at Stafford Crown Court. Mr Bagshaw was handed an eight-month sentence for offences relating to food safety and a further two months for animal welfare/movement offences.
In May 2016, Mr Bagshaw is reported to have pleaded guilty to 24 offences, including serious animal welfare breaches, food safety offences (illegal slaughter without inspections and slaughtering a species he was not licensed to slaughter), movement of animals without authorisation and trading standards offences (sale of meat without traceability information).
Offences were laid jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service and FSA's prosecution team, following a multi-agency investigation carried out by the FSA and Staffordshire Council. The investigation took place as a result of footage gained by covert cameras, which were installed by a non-profit organisation at Mr Bagshaw's plant in Leek, Staffordshire.
The FSA reports that Honour Judge Gosling remarked in his sentencing that Mr Bagshaw had "disregarded regulatory requirements deliberately and over a long period [of time]" and that the food safety offences had "put food safety seriously at risk" and had the effect of "undermining confidence that the public have in regulatory controls on food."
Describing some of the animal welfare offences as "wanton cruelty", Honour Judge Gosling is said to have added: "Your ill treatment of a number of animals was a shock even to an observer with no interest in the welfare of stock for slaughter."
Commenting on the case, Jason Feeney, FSA's chief operating officer, said: "We welcome the sentencing today and are pleased that the defendant recognised he broke the law in relation to meat hygiene and animal welfare breaches. The FSA will not tolerate food crime that endangers both consumers and animals alike.
"We hope the sentencing is a major deterrent to those who think they can profit from cutting corners and jeopardising food safety."
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