The former manager and chef at the Railway Hotel, Station Lane, Hornchurch have been sentenced today (Friday 23 January 2015), after they were found guilty of doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice in December last year.
At Snaresbrook Crown Court, former manager, Ann-Marie McSweeney, of Suttons Avenue, Hornchurch was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay costs of £100.
Former head chef, Mehmet Kaya, of Water Lane, Purfleet, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay £100 in costs.
Mitchells and Butlers PLC were fined £1.5m and ordered to pay £227,500 in costs for placing unsafe food on the market.
A total of 33 diners became ill and one tragically died after eating a Christmas dinner at the Railway Hotel on Christmas Day 2012.
Havering Council visited the premises in Hornchurch shortly after receiving complaints from diners. A year-long investigation ensued which found that the reason for the illnesses was food poisoning. This was caused by ‘clostridium perfringens’ bacteria, due to the turkey meat not being cooked adequately or not reheated properly.
Initial investigations were hindered because McSweeney and Kaya made up records relating to the cooking and cooling of the turkey meat.
Councillor Osman Dervish, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said:
“Firstly, our condolences go out to the Callagher Family, who have been in court throughout the trial.
“We hope that this morning’s result will act as an impetus for all food providers, both local and across the country, to ensure that their food hygiene regimes are thorough and robust.”
