Britain: Only 12 months for killing a kid?

A long-established family butcher who was responsible for food poisoning that killed a five-year-old boy and infected more than 100 other children was yesterday jailed for 12 months. William Tudor, managing director of the firm that supplied school lunches across South Wales, had failed to observe basic food hygiene precautions. Cardiff Crown Court was told that meat sent out by the firm was contaminated with E. coli 0157 bacteria, causing Britain’s second-largest food-poisoning epidemic.

Lax hygiene at the firm’s premises allowed raw meat to come into contact with cooked ham, turkey and lamb. Mason Jones ate the food in his school canteen. For two weeks he was critically ill, suffering fits, high temperatures, diarrhoea and kidney failure before dying in hospital.

Judge Neil Bidder, QC, told Tudor: “You failed to adopt safe procedures. Your staff were inadequately trained and poorly supervised. “Cleaning at the premises was sub-standard and an inspection found blood splashes, cobwebs, dead insects and congealed dirt on your machinery. You put the health of the public at risk for the sake of saving money.” The court was told that Tudor, 56, had cut corners in hygiene, telling staff to clean machinery only when health inspectors were expected. An uncleaned vacuum-packing machine was at the centre of the outbreak.

Graham Walters, prosecuting, said that within days of Tudor’s firm supplying cooked turkey, ham and lamb to schools in September 2005 a number of pupils fell ill with symptoms of diahorrea. Environmental health officers were called in, an outbreak control team was set up and the poisoning was confirmed as E. coli 0157. The outbreak led to 157 cases of food poisoning being investigated - with 109 cases at 44 schools traced back to Tudor’s business, John Tudor and Son.

Mr Walters said that the plant had only one vacuum-packing machine, which was used for both raw and cooked meats. He said: “It was not uncommon for juices from raw meat to get into the vacpacker. There was blood on the trays, and workers were having to wipe it off while they were packing cooked meat. The health inspectors found fundamental failures in cleaning and there was general concern over hygiene. “There was evidence the vacpacker was covered in congealed debris and dirt. Tudor was fully aware of the dangers because he had taken his advanced food hygiene standards certificate in 2004, which was a matter of law.” A legally required log of the cleaning records for the machinery had not been completed daily or weekly.

Tudor pleaded guilty to charges under the General Food Regulations of selling “unsafe food” to six schools, including Deri Primary School in Bargoed, where Mason was a pupil. Other charges related to five other junior and primary schools. He also admitted failing to protect food against the risk of contamination at his factory.

Huw Davies, QC, defending, said: “Mr Tudor blames himself for poor Mason’s death - he is devastated.” The court was told that the once-thriving “family butchers”, in Bridgend, had now “collapsed in debt”. Tudor was also banned from working in the management of the food industry for the rest of his life.

Mason’s mother, Sharon Jones, 32, said after the hearing: “We were shocked and appalled by the state of William Tudor’s premises which came out in court.” A public inquiry is due to be held by expert Professor Hugh Pennington into the outbreak, which left some victims with long-term kidney problems.

Report here



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