The business operator of a slaughterhouse in Chester and 6 males who worked there have actually been sentenced for animal well-being offenses consisting of, in many cases, triggering preventable discomfort, distress or suffering to animals
G and GB Hewitt Ltd runs a slaughterhouse at The Abattoir, Huxley, Chester where livestock and sheep are butchered. In addition to the business itself, the accuseds, all slaughtermen, are:
Mark Lee Hewitt, 34 from Huxley in Cheshire
Stephen Mayren, 66, of Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire
Joseph Anthony Arden, 66, from Nantwich, Cheshire.
Matthew David Arden, 32 from Whitchurch in Cheshire.
Gerald Mark Hewitt, 59, from Tarporley in Cheshire.
Paul May, 49, from Whitchurch in Cheshire.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) displays and imposes animal well-being at authorized slaughterhouses in England and Wales by guaranteeing they are certified with all particular requirements in health and animal well-being legislation.
Legislation remains in location to secure the well-being of animals at the time of their massacre with a basic requirement that they be spared any preventable discomfort, distress or suffering throughout the massacre procedure. A breach of the legislation is a criminal offense.
Additional legislation presented in 2018 needs slaughterhouses in England where live animals exist to be covered by CCTV. Slaughterhouse operators are needed to provide authorised FSA staff access to the video footage.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that the charges in this case emerged from occasions caught on such video footage, which was examined by FSA veterinary staff in April 2021. This followed claims from an animal rights charity that animal well-being legislation was being breached at the slaughterhouse. Several breaches were found from the CCTV consisting of:
- The method the animals were dealt with prior to and throughout massacre.
- The duplicated usage of electrical instruments to move the animals.
- Young animals left without food for too long prior to being butchered.
- Staff were seen carrying out procedures that needed accreditation of the required proficiency, which they did not have.
On 19 July 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges under the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015.
At Crewe Magistrates’ Court on 3 May 2023 all the accuseds pleaded guilty and were sentenced as follows:
G and GB Hewitt Ltd (slaughterhouse operators) fined £19,500, £100 statutory additional charge and £500 expenses.
Gerald Hewitt fined £1,000, £100 statutory additional charge and £100 expenses.
Matthew Arden fined £1,050, £105 statutory additional charge and £100 expenses.
Stephen Mayren fined £1395, £139 statutory additional charge and £100 expenses.
Mark Hewitt fined £525, £52 statutory additional charge and £100 expenses.
Paul May fined £525, £52 statutory additional charge and £100 expenses.
Joseph Arden fined £160, £34 statutory additional charge and £100 expenses.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Maqsood Khan, of CPS Mersey Cheshire said: “The CCTV from the G and GB Hewitt slaughterhouse revealed lots of examples of the animals remaining in preventable discomfort, distress and suffering.
“The video footage revealed undesirable practices and showed a poor cultural mindset to animal well-being within the properties. The law in this location is stringent and clear and this slaughterhouse flouted it on lots of celebrations.
“This is not just undesirable, however likewise criminal. These males have actually pleaded guilty so this case has actually been fixed fairly rapidly.
“The Crown Prosecution Service want to thank the Food Standards Agency for their help in bringing this prosecution and making these accuseds confront their angering. The CPS strives with the FSA to prosecute anybody who overlooks the legislation around this part of our food market.”
A representative for the Food Standard Agency said: “We invite the effective result of this case. The operator of this slaughterhouse has actually taken the event seriously by fixing shortages and enhancing requirements in animal well-being, and is now certified with all legal requirements.
“This case must function as a deterrent to others as the FSA has a no tolerance technique to animal well-being breaches. We screen requirements of animal well-being at authorized slaughterhouses in England and Wales and all staff are advised to take timely enforcement action where breaches are recognized. We’re dealing with partner companies and market to constantly enhance animal well-being. “
Notes to editors
Background from Food Standard Agency:
- The FSA displays and imposes animal well-being at authorized slaughterhouses in England and Wales by guaranteeing they are certified with all particular requirements in health and animal well-being legislation.
- The bulk of non-compliances include documents and record keeping breaches and do not include animals experiencing preventable discomfort, distress or suffering. However, the FSA does something about it in reaction to all non-compliances to prevent more severe problems happening and to secure animal well-being.
- Defra and Welsh Government are the policy holders for animal well-being controls within authorized slaughterhouses. Application of the controls consisting of enforcement of animal well-being breaches are performed by the FSA.
