Butcher faces threat of prosecution

A Hadleigh butcher could face prosecution after officers from the local authority's Food and Safety Regulation Team seized ten pig carcases which had no health stamp markings.

Last Monday, Sudbury Magistrates' Court formally condemned the carcases, which weighed over 700kg, seized from the premises of Mark and Anne-Marie Rothwell of Pierpoint's in Hadleigh.

The court awarded legal costs of £1,000 against the supplier of the meat, farmer Michael Farrell of Stowmarket. Farrell was also ordered to pay incineration costs of £298.

John Rainer, food and safety regulation manager at Babergh District Council, said: "It is a legal requirement that any meat for sale from livestock is slaughtered in a licensed abattoir and is stamped accordingly."

Meat slaughtered at an abattoir has a range of pre-post-mortem checks carried out by a vet as well as being accompanied by accompanied by documentation detailing any medical treatment of the live animals.

Rainer said Babergh Council was pulling together all the evidence that it has gathered with a view to taking further legal action against the butcher and supplier involved.

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