Wakefield abattoir fined over £45,000 after obstructing inspectors

Yorkshire Abattoir Services Limited pleaded guilty to obstructing Food Standards Agency (FSA) officers from carrying out their regulatory hygiene inspection duties.

The abattoir entered guilty pleas to three charges of intentionally obstructing FSA officers from entering the premises to perform regulatory hygiene inspections in March 2024 and June 2024.

The FSA works to ensure food is safe and what it says it is, by monitoring compliance at approved premises to ensure all specific requirements in food hygiene legislation are met.

It is against the law to obstruct or prevent inspectors from doing so. 

Following the guilty pleas in January, the abattoir was sentenced at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court on April 28.

It was fined £46,800 and ordered to pay a further £14,000 in prosecution costs and a £2,000 statutory surcharge.

This brought the total sentence imposed to just over £62,800, to be paid within three months.

Robert Locker, head of field operations at the FSA, said: “The Food Standards Agency protects public health by helping to ensure businesses meet their responsibility to sell safe and authentic food.

"It is vital that we can gain access to abattoirs and other food business premises to fulfil our inspection responsibilities. This successful prosecution shows that people who stand in the way of our work can expect to face significant financial consequences.

"Deterring businesses that don’t play by the rules helps to support legitimate responsible businesses, and we continue to work together with the wider industry to protect consumers.”