Statement on verdict of Denby illegal meat trial
Friday, 29 August 2003
The Food Standards Agency today welcomed the convictions in the Denby
illegal meat trial. The Agency worked closely with Derbyshire Police and
Amber Valley Borough Council as part of this multi-agency operation into
the diversion of unfit meat into the human food chain.
The Agency has played a role both in supporting the investigations and
taking action to crack down more widely on this illegal activity:
* The Agency has introduced tough new rules on the staining of all
high-risk unfit meat to prevent such meat being recycled back into
the human food chain.
* The Agency has established an Illegal Meat Taskforce, a
UK/Ireland-wide network of 30 food detectives specially trained to
be able to assist with the detection and investigation of meat scams.
* The Taskforce is assisted by a team of five investigators – mostly
former senior police officers – based at the Agency, with two
extra investigators currently being recruited. They investigate
meat scams, as well as any irregularities at MHS-supervised plants.
* The Agency has worked with industry to produce a new code of
practice to ensure that they take seriously their responsibility
for ensuring that unfit meat does not enter the human food chain.
This means adopting best practice beyond the basic legal requirements.
* The Agency paid for a dedicated investigator who worked at putting
the Denby case together.
* The Agency worked with local authorities to track down and take
the unfit meat uncovered by the Denby investigations out of the
food chain.
Following the conclusion of the trial the Agency will carefully consider
if any of the evidence presented requires further investigation or
action to help prevent such frauds in the future. In addition, the Board
of the Agency will be considering at its public meeting in September
recommendations from the independent Waste Food Taskforce on further
measures to prevent unfit meat entering the food chain (see link below
to Waste Food Taskforce report).
David Statham, the FSA’s Director of Enforcement and Food Standards said:
'Today’s convictions send a clear message to anyone diverting unfit meat
into the food chain. The Food Standards Agency has been working to
tighten up the system so that it is harder for criminals to try to get
away with these scams. We now have a 30-strong trained and experienced
team to assist with investigations all around the country.
'It is also important to remember that the food industry has a big
responsibility. There must be a traceable chain and the new code of
practice is about industry raising their game and working to standards
above the basic legal requirements. Companies need to know what they are
selling and buying. Consumers have a right to expect that shops and
restaurants only buy their food from reputable sources.'
* Food Standards Agency welcomes conviction of illegal meat fraudsters
See the full statement with background information
*
* Waste Food Task Force report
Read the full report
*
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/denby
greetings list,
what clear message does this send?
what good is a guilty verdict if the jurors were to coward to
issue any verdict? seems a bit candy coated to me...
A jury trying three men accused of selling hundreds of tonnes of rancid
meat was today discharged after failing to reach verdicts despite
deliberating for 36 hours.
SNIP...
Despite being given a majority direction yesterday, the jury was unable
to reach verdicts on Simon Haslam, 39, of Shalfleet Drive, Derby; Brian
William John Davies, 64, of Walmersley Road, Bury and David Watson, 38,
of Paxton Crescent, Shenley Lodge, Milton Keynes. All three defendants
have denied conspiracy to defraud.
Today Judge Benson asked the foreman if, given further time, there was
any prospect of the jury reaching verdicts on any of the defendants on
which at least 10 of the jurors agreed.
When the foreman replied, "no", the judge said: "Well I shall discharge
you."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,2763,1031149,00.html
TSS
