Slaughterman's Licence in Abuse Case Revoked

UK - The Food Standards Agency has revoked the licence of a slaughterman following the publication of footage allegedly taken by Animal Aid at Cheale Meats in Essex.

1 August 2011

2 minute read

Europe

The footage shows pigs being abused and manhandled in breach of animal welfare legislation.

As soon as the agency received filmed extracts of the abuse at the plant, the FSA revoked the licence of one of the slaughtermen identified in the footage.

The other slaughterman, who featured in the footage was in possession of a provisional licence, which has now expired and has not and will not be renewed.

The agency also increased the level of monitoring its staff carry out at this plant, to ensure procedures were being followed correctly. The business subsequently dismissed both the slaughtermen identified in the filming from their employ.

The agency said it is not responsible for prosecutions in this area.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) decided in July 2010 as a matter of policy that it would not be appropriate for Defra to rely on evidence provided by a third party that it could not obtain under its own statutory powers. Because the only evidence available was the footage submitted by Animal Aid, the FSA had to take into account Defra’s policy on this type of evidence and, therefore, decided not to submit a file to Defra to consider for prosecution.