Wiltshire man pleads guilty to 39 food hygiene offences
His premises' were raided last year
Last updated 13th Oct 2021
A man from Wiltshire has pleaded guilty to 39 food hygiene offences for illegal meat cutting.
Gent Jakupi of New Park St, Devizes and Andover Road, Ludgershall, had both of these hand car washing premises raided in October and November last year on illegal meat cutting operations.
The court heard further details surrounding the serious hygiene breaches that led to the emergency closures.
It was advised that the filthy conditions found and the illicit manner of the meat cutting activity were some of the most shocking ever encountered by the senior officer leading the investigation.
Cllr Ashley O’Neill, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Public Health and Protection, said:
“The conditions found at both addresses were shocking to our officers and will have put those who bought meat from this man at risk. This was a widespread meat distribution operation across the country. After the defendant failed to make contact with previous customers, a national food alert was issued by the Food Standards Agency to warn that meat that had been supplied was unfit for consumption.
“I would like to thank our Food and Safety team for their hard work and their key role in getting this to court, and we hope whatever sentencing is handed out acts as a warning that this type of illegal and dangerous behaviour will not be tolerated.”
The case has been referred to Swindon Crown Court on 5th November for sentencing due to the serious nature of the offences.