Former Modbury bakery owner William Abbot pleaded guilty to 12 charges under hygiene regulations and agreed to have a further 36 taken into consideration, when he appeared before South Devon Magistrates at Torquay on Friday (Photos on Flickr).
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The offences related to Fox’s Bakery 11/12 Broad St, Modbury where Abbot, operated his food business. The business has since closed and Abbot now lives in Windsor, Berkshire. (Note: There is no connection between this court case and a bakery firm in Modbury since reopened and operating under the same name.)
Nick Hill, prosecuting on behalf of the council explained to the court that the offences related to a general poor state of cleanliness and disrepair of the bakery’s fabric and equipment used in the business. Additionally, Abbot failed to implement a food safety management system.
Helen Buckthorp, a South Hams District Council Environmental Health Officer carried out inspections on two occasions in 2010 which showed that conditions had not improved and in fact had got worse. This was despite previous action taken against Abbot over a period of time by the council’s officers.
Abbot had previously been arrested for not attending earlier hearings.
In defence, it was stated that Abbot had no previous convictions and that he did not own the building. The court was also told of his financial and mental health problems.
Abbot was given a 12 month conditional discharge. And ordered to pay the council’s full costs of £1441.
Mr Hill for the council made an application for a Hygiene Prohibition Order to disqualify Abbot from being involved in the management of a food business and this was granted by the magistrates.
In conclusion, the magistrates said to Abbot:
“We take the matter very seriously. You could have easily caused serious damage to people despite the advice given by the council and a Hygiene Prohibition Order is the best way of stopping you from causing damage to the public”.
Councillor Jonathan Hawkins, South Hams Executive Member for Environmental Health and Housing, said after the hearing:
“We take every opportunity to work with our businesses and assist them in complying with the law, however, on this occasion our advice was not heeded and it was necessary to protect the consumer by taking this action. We are pleased with the outcome and that the court agreed that Abbot should be disqualified from managing a food business”.
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