Food poisoning has killed a septuagenarian and struck down thirty-one others at a harvest supper.
Gatekeepers News reports that a 92-year-old Parishioner has died and 31 others have fallen seriously ill after they were struck down by pub’s underdone mince at a harvest supper.
The septuagenarian, Elizabeth Neuman was violently sick after eating the contaminated shepherd’s pie served at a village pub near her church. Although Neuman was taken to hospital, she suffered an internal haemorrhage which led to her death.
Only three of the 35 villagers who sat down to the meal escaped being poisoned because they opted for the vegetarian option.
On Wednesday, Reading Crown Court heard how the Holy Trinity Church had gone to the pub for the meal on October 8, 2018.
The court heard how the pub’s then Head Chef did not cook the meat from the shepherd’s pie ‘properly’ the night before, and then placed it in a pan of iced water, before wrapping it in a cling film and kept it in a fridge overnight.
The following day the meat was cooked again and warm potato mash was added. The chef did not check its temperature before serving it.
The court heard how the chef was ‘rushed’ and ‘had to leave’ the night before.
John Croucher, the former head chef of the Crewe Arms in Hinton-in-the-Hedges, near Brackley, Northamptonshire
Croucher 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.”
After this, the court sentenced Croucher to a four-month suspended jail sentence.
Meanwhile, the Pub owner and landlord Neil Billingham was fined £9,000 plus £1,000 court costs after admitting three charges of contravening food regulations.
On the other hand, Billingham’s company, The Bobcat Pub Co, was also fined nearly £3,000.
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.”
Campbell added that “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.”
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.
The judge did not accept explanations from the pub and chef that the poisoning was a ‘one-off mistake’.
She added, “Looking at the evidence, this was not a one-off mistake. The pub should have been taking steps to be improving.
“Inspections in 2015 gave it three stars [for food hygiene] and in 2017 gave it only one star.”
Prosecutor Carl May-Smith while addressing the court said, “the pub even had the advantage of coaching from the local authority’ – where food safety officers work with venues with poor hygiene ratings, advising them what they need to do to improve.
“Inspections before the offence showed there was no food safety management system in place.”
Nevertheless, the name of the bacteria that struck down the parishioners was not disclosed neither.
