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Pub Christmas dinner death: Chef and manager jailed | Pub Christmas dinner death: Chef and manager jailed |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A pub chef and manager have been jailed for perverting the course of justice over the death of a woman who got food poisoning from a Christmas dinner. | A pub chef and manager have been jailed for perverting the course of justice over the death of a woman who got food poisoning from a Christmas dinner. |
Della Callagher, 46, died after eating at the Railway Hotel in Hornchurch in 2012. Another 33 people fell ill. | |
Chef Mehmet Kaya and Ann-Marie McSweeney were jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court for 12 and 18 months. | Chef Mehmet Kaya and Ann-Marie McSweeney were jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court for 12 and 18 months. |
The court heard they fabricated food safety records relating to the cooling and re-cooking of turkey meat. | |
False records | |
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that on Christmas Day 2012 the pub cooked lunch for 128 customers. | |
But the turkeys prepared the day before were not cooled properly after cooking and not adequately reheated before being served to the guests. | |
Clostridium perfringens bacterium, a common cause of food poisoning, was later found in samples taken from the diners who fell ill. | |
The court was told that food safety records had not been filled in so McSweeney, who had worked at the hotel for 24 years, concocted a plan for her and Kaya to falsify them. | |
The jury heard Kaya, 38, from Purfleet, Essex and McSweeney, 40, from Suttons Avenue, Hornchurch retrospectively filled out due diligence logs before health inspectors could carry out an investigation. | |
Prosecutor Andrew Campbell-Tiech QC said it was "highly likely that other food-related records were fabricated". | |
'Deep regret' | 'Deep regret' |
His Honour Judge Alastair Hammerton said the evidence revealed "systematic failings" in record keeping and that McSweeney was "in charge and in control of the cover-up". | |
Mitchells and Butlers (M&B), the chain which owned the pub, was fined £1.5m for placing unsafe food on the market. | |
In a statement, the company said it "deeply regretted" the matter. | In a statement, the company said it "deeply regretted" the matter. |
"The individuals concerned had committed acts which were not in accordance with Mitchells & Butlers' food safety procedures and practices," it said. | "The individuals concerned had committed acts which were not in accordance with Mitchells & Butlers' food safety procedures and practices," it said. |
"The conduct for which they have been found guilty and have now been sentenced was entirely their own actions and in no way represents conduct acceptable to, or condoned by, M&B." | "The conduct for which they have been found guilty and have now been sentenced was entirely their own actions and in no way represents conduct acceptable to, or condoned by, M&B." |