£10,000 fine for meat firm: Sheep left with no water for days
A HALAL meat producing company have been fined almost £10,000 after hundreds of sheep were left without drinking water or room to move.
Calderdale Magistrates heard how 864 sheep in the slaughterhouse were left for days
without drinking water, enough space to lie down, stand up and turn around and were caused unnecessary pain and suffering.
Mr Howard Shaw, prosecuting for DEFRA, said that sheep were standing on top of each other and that drinking water troughs had been turned off.
The sheep had been forced into the pen by a delivery driver and the abattoir supervisor after a mix up regarding what time sheep would be delivered.
In total 11 sheep died during the incident which took place at the end of February of last year, many through asphyxiation and being trampled.
A senior meat hygienist said that "he had never seen anything as bad as this" when he visited the slaughterhouse, Mr Shaw told the court.
Debbie Wilson, who attended court as a representative of Halal Meats, said that the company had made significant changes to the way they operated following the incident.
"There is no excuse and we have to take responsibility," said Mrs Wilson.
The case against the slaughterhouse supervisor Mohammed Hussain, who failed to attend court, was re-listed to be heard on 27 October.
Premier Halal Meats are a relatively new company, having started trading in June 2009. In October 2009 they were sent a letter by DEFRA advising them about the number of sheep kept in pens after concerns were raised.
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