A red meat slaughterhouse based in Osset, Yorkshire has been handed fines and costs totalling more than £34,400 after being found guilty of food hygiene failings.

Yorkshire Abattoir Services Limited pleaded not guilty after a series of failings were identified by Food Standards Agency inspectors and veterinarians between November 2016 and January 2017.

However, following a trial at Leeds Magistrates Court, District Judge Bouch found the business guilty on all 12 charges.

The charges brought against the business included failures to:

• prevent contact between the outside of the skin and the carcase of sheep during the removal of fleece (‘in-rolling’)
• remove faecal contamination from sheep carcases without delay
• comply with a Remedial Action Notice related to ‘in-rolling’ - these notices can prohibit the use of equipment, limit or prohibit certain processes being carried out or reduce or stop operations

The initial incidents in early November 2016 led to a Remedial Action Notice being served which was breached in late December and again in early January 2017.  District Judge Bouch ordered the food business to pay a fine of £24,000 along with costs of £10,234.50 and a victim surcharge of £170.

Dr Colin Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer of the FSA, said:

We welcome this outcome which has brought this business to justice and has imposed significant charges upon them as a result.

wher food businesses fail to uphold acceptable food hygiene standards and ignore an order requiring them to halt certain activities, we will investigate and we will look to prosecute.