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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Cadbury admits salmonella charges | Cadbury admits salmonella charges |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| Cadbury has pleaded guilty to three offences under food and hygiene regulations in connection with a salmonella scare last summer. | Cadbury has pleaded guilty to three offences under food and hygiene regulations in connection with a salmonella scare last summer. |
| Birmingham City Council alleged the firm put "unsafe" chocolate on the market for a period in 2006, which led to one million bars being recalled. | Birmingham City Council alleged the firm put "unsafe" chocolate on the market for a period in 2006, which led to one million bars being recalled. |
| Thirty people were affected, the Health Protection Agency said. | Thirty people were affected, the Health Protection Agency said. |
| Cadbury will be sentenced for the offences at Birmingham Crown Court on 13 July. | Cadbury will be sentenced for the offences at Birmingham Crown Court on 13 July. |
| Anthony Scrivener QC, entered the pleas on behalf of the firm during a 10-minute hearing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court. | Anthony Scrivener QC, entered the pleas on behalf of the firm during a 10-minute hearing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court. |
| '£30m bill' | |
| The company said the bill for dealing with the contamination may reach £30m. | The company said the bill for dealing with the contamination may reach £30m. |
| Birmingham City Council is responsible for enforcing health and safety laws at Cadbury's plant in Bournville. | Birmingham City Council is responsible for enforcing health and safety laws at Cadbury's plant in Bournville. |
| Mr Scrivener told the court that although certain facts in the case were still in dispute, Cadbury accepted its responsibility and was pleading guilty to the charges. | |
| He added that they had already spent £20m on improvements. | |
| Cadbury was accused of putting contaminated chocolates on the market between 19 January and 10 March last year. | |
| Quality has always been at the heart of our business, but the process we followed in the UK in this instance was unacceptable A Cadbury spokesman | |
| Other charges include the firm failing to immediately inform relevant authorities about potential dangers and failing to identify "hazards" posed by the salmonella contamination. | |
| Separately Herefordshire Council is also prosecuting the company over the state of its factory near Leominster where the bars originated. | Separately Herefordshire Council is also prosecuting the company over the state of its factory near Leominster where the bars originated. |
| The charges include not keeping a drainage pipe and roof vents in good repair, not permitting adequate cleaning of the premises, inadequate drainage facilities, and not carrying out proper cleaning of the conveyors or storage silos. | The charges include not keeping a drainage pipe and roof vents in good repair, not permitting adequate cleaning of the premises, inadequate drainage facilities, and not carrying out proper cleaning of the conveyors or storage silos. |
| Each of the six offences carries a maximum penalty of an unlimited fine and/or two years' imprisonment. | Each of the six offences carries a maximum penalty of an unlimited fine and/or two years' imprisonment. |
| The company is due to appear before Herefordshire Magistrates on 24 July. | The company is due to appear before Herefordshire Magistrates on 24 July. |
| 'We have apologised' | |
| In a statement released after the hearing in Birmingham, Cadbury said: "Mistakenly, we did not believe that there was a threat to health and thus any requirement to report the incident to the authorities - we accept that this approach was incorrect. | |
| "Quality has always been at the heart of our business, but the process we followed in the UK in this instance was unacceptable. | |
| "We have apologised for this and do so again today." | |
| "The processes that led to this failure ceased from June last year and will never be reinstated." | |
| They added that it was inappropriate to comment on the second set of charges brought by Herefordshire Council. | |
| A major review of global health and safety procedures has since taken place. |