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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/02/chicken-farmer-given-suspended-sentence-for-free-range-egg
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Chicken farmer given suspended sentence for free-range egg fraud | Chicken farmer given suspended sentence for free-range egg fraud |
| (5 months later) | |
| A chicken farmer has been given a suspended jail sentence for falsely claiming that eggs produced in crowded henhouses were free-range. | A chicken farmer has been given a suspended jail sentence for falsely claiming that eggs produced in crowded henhouses were free-range. |
| Eggs from James Gigg’s farm in Dorset were sold to shops and delicatessens that marketed them to customers as free-range. | Eggs from James Gigg’s farm in Dorset were sold to shops and delicatessens that marketed them to customers as free-range. |
| Judge Paul Cook told Gigg, 41, at Taunton crown court: “You have brought shame on yourself and brought embarrassment on your family. You cheated people buying free-range eggs.” | Judge Paul Cook told Gigg, 41, at Taunton crown court: “You have brought shame on yourself and brought embarrassment on your family. You cheated people buying free-range eggs.” |
| He sentenced Gigg to 12 months in jail but suspended it for 18 months because he accepted the farmer had not acted out of greed. The court was told Gigg was a hard-working man living in a mobile home who was struggling to make ends meet. “This offence was not born out of greed on your part,” the judge said. | He sentenced Gigg to 12 months in jail but suspended it for 18 months because he accepted the farmer had not acted out of greed. The court was told Gigg was a hard-working man living in a mobile home who was struggling to make ends meet. “This offence was not born out of greed on your part,” the judge said. |
| The court was told that Gigg broke EU regulations by overstocking his henhouses, which meant the eggs could not be classed as free-range – and he knew that it was an offence to do so. He also provided inspectors with false information and paperwork. | The court was told that Gigg broke EU regulations by overstocking his henhouses, which meant the eggs could not be classed as free-range – and he knew that it was an offence to do so. He also provided inspectors with false information and paperwork. |
| His fraud was worth between £133,000 and £200,000 and involved him packing 3,000 more hens into his chicken houses than allowed. | His fraud was worth between £133,000 and £200,000 and involved him packing 3,000 more hens into his chicken houses than allowed. |
| Gigg admitted fraud and giving false information to an inspector. The judge said the fraud did not have an effect on the public’s health. | Gigg admitted fraud and giving false information to an inspector. The judge said the fraud did not have an effect on the public’s health. |
| Ian Fenny, prosecuting, said the public bought free range eggs for “ethical considerations” and said that standards had to be implemented rigorously. | Ian Fenny, prosecuting, said the public bought free range eggs for “ethical considerations” and said that standards had to be implemented rigorously. |
| Fenny said that in interviews Gigg said he was struggling financially and committed the offence out of desperation rather than greed. | Fenny said that in interviews Gigg said he was struggling financially and committed the offence out of desperation rather than greed. |
| Sarah Regan, defending, said Gigg was in a “blind panic” when inspectors arrived and accepted he should have come clean immediately. She said his birds were perfectly healthy. | Sarah Regan, defending, said Gigg was in a “blind panic” when inspectors arrived and accepted he should have come clean immediately. She said his birds were perfectly healthy. |
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