Four men have been given custodial sentences for diverting meat not fit for human consumption back into the human food chain.
The defendants were convicted earlier this year following an investigation by Southwark Council and the Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit, with a judge at the Inner London Crown Court handing out custodial sentences this week.
“The sentences handed down today show that there is no place for such criminal activity in our food system,” said Andrew Quinn, head of FSA’s NFCU. “The case demonstrates the serious risk posed to consumer safety when individuals deliberately disregard food safety regulations by putting meat unfit for human consumption back into the food chain.”
Anthony Fear, director of a business known as Fears Animal Products Ltd, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud by placing food not fit for consumption on the market.
He has also been disqualified from acting as a company director for six years.
Mark Hooper, a manager at Fears Animal Products Ltd, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, suspended for two years, under the same charge. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges relating to a separate matter in Aylesbury and received a concurrent 24-month sentence.
Azar Irshad was sentenced to 35 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud, failure to comply with regulation 19 of the Food Safety & Hygiene Regulations relating to unapproved premises and placing food not fit for human consumption on the market.
Irshad was also given a criminal behaviour order for an indefinite period, prohibiting any involvement in the food industry.
Ali Afzal was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 21 months, 150 hours unpaid work, and ordered to pay costs of £5,000 for failure to comply with Regulation 19 Food Safety & Hygiene Regulations relating to unapproved premises.
Fears Animal Products Ltd will be sentenced in 2026 following the conclusion of confiscation proceedings.
Costs for Fear, Hooper, and Irshad will also be determined following the conclusion of confiscation proceedings.
The sentencing follows court proceedings on a complex investigation that began when Southwark officers discovered 1.9 tonnes of category 3 animal byproducts, including whole and cut chickens, lamb’s testicles and beef burgers being processed for sale into the human food chain at an illegal meat cutting plant in London.
The plant was not registered as a food business, had no running hot water and the meat was prepared in unhygienic conditions.
“This sentencing marks the end of a long and determined investigation to hold food criminals to account,” said councillor Natasha Ennin, cabinet member for community safety and neighbourhoods at Southwark Council. “These individuals operated with complete disregard for public health, motivated solely by greed.
“The sentences handed down today send a clear message: food crime will not be tolerated.”
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