A parishioner died and 31 others fell seriously ill after they were struck down with food poisoning at a harvest supper.
Elizabeth Neuman, 92, was violently sick after eating the contaminated shepherd’s pie served at a village pub near her church. She was taken to hospital but suffered an internal haemorrhage and could not be saved.
How did this happen, then?
...the meat from the shepherd’s pie was ‘not cooked properly’ the night before by the pub’s then head chef and was placed in a pan of iced water, before being wrapped in cling film and put in a fridge overnight.
The next day the meat was cooked again and warm potato mash added, but its temperature was not checked before it was served. The court heard how the chef was ‘rushed’ and ‘had to leave’ the night before.
All the things you shouldn't do. An open and shut case. Better make an example of this establishment, then?
John Croucher, the former head chef of the Crewe Arms in Hinton-in-the-Hedges, near Brackley, Northamptonshire, admitted contravening food regulations.
He said: ‘I really hate to say it but I think I was rushed. I was rushing. Remorse is an understatement. This is something I will never forget. Because of it, I am a better chef and it is just a shame the cost of it had to be what it was.’
...
...
Wait, seriously?!? Was he a new, young, unqualified chef, then? Reader, he was not...
Croucher, 40, was given a four-month suspended jail sentence yesterday at Reading Crown Court.
*speechless*
Judge Sarah Campbell said: ‘A healthy and well person died of a gastrointestinal haemorrhage induced from vomiting. No sentence I can pass can reflect the loss caused to the family.’
She added: ‘The Crewe Arms is an important pub to the local community. I have read many references from members of the community, who all say Mr Billingham worked hard to maintain the support of the community, including Mrs Neuman’s daughter.’
Personally, I wouldn't set foot inside it if it was the olny establishment for miles...
The court heard that the pub had a one-star food hygiene rating at the time of the tragedy but had since gained the maximum five stars.
Nope, not even now.
If a motorist, by carelessly disregarding the basic tenets of safe driving, had directly caused the death of an innocent person and injury to others, they would be looking at 5 years or more in jail. So why is it different for a cook?
ReplyDelete"it is just a shame the cost (someone's death) of it had to be what it was" - there we have it, the chef was the real victim here. Luckily the judge appreciated this was an "opportunity for growth" for the chef and sentenced appropriately. FFS
ReplyDeleteThey could have sent him down and put to working in the prison kitchen and solved the prison overcrowding in one go.
ReplyDeletePenseivat
There you go.
ReplyDeleteA lesson was learned.
Just another death during a time when our great and glorious leaders are straining every sinew to reduce the population. I'm surprised they didn't sentence him to community service - in an old people's home.
ReplyDelete"So why is it different for a cook?"
ReplyDeleteIt shouldn't be!
"...there we have it, the chef was the real victim here."
Beyond belief, isn't it? I'd have given him an extra five years for the cheek!
"They could have sent him down and put to working in the prison kitchen and solved the prison overcrowding in one go."
😂🤣
"A lesson was learned."
It certainly was...
"I'm surprised they didn't sentence him to community service - in an old people's home."
Very good point!