Legal News

A Bury retailer has been ordered to pay nearly £10,800 for displaying, offering for sale and selling rotten fruit and vegetables that failed to meet minimum quality standards.

Mohammad Akram – director of Kashmir Super Store (KSS) Ltd – was charged by Bury Magistrates’ Court following a nine-month investigation by the Rural Payments Agency’s (RPA) Horticultural Marketing Inspectors (HMI).

A final HMI inspection conducted on 17 March 2016 found six displays in breach of the EU marketing rules for fresh produce quality and labelling, including rotten honeydew melons and shelling peas.

Akram failed to appear before the court and both he and the company were found guilty of all charges.

He was fined £2,640 with £2,009.79 costs. The company was fined £3,960 with 2,009.79 costs. A £120 victim surcharge was also applied.

RPA Operations Director Alison Johnson said:

“Concerted efforts were made by HMI to work closely with the business through face-to-face meetings, verbal warnings and formal written notices – all aimed at achieving improved compliance from the business.

“Unfortunately, such advice is not always heeded – and when all other options have been exhausted, we will resort to the use of criminal sanction to bring about a required change in behaviour.”


Duncan Lewis Criminal Lawyers – Public Protection Offences

Duncan Lewis criminal lawyers can advise at any stage of a public protection offence, including charges involving selling counterfeit goods, selling illicit alcohol or tobacco products, weights and measures issues, mislabelling offences, selling substandard produce, food hygiene breaches, selling restricted items to minors and breaches of health and safety regulations.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and in most major cities – and Duncan Lewis can advise on police raids and premises inspections by Trading Standards or local authority public protection teams.

For expert legal advice on public protection offences, call Duncan Lewis criminal lawyers on 0333 772 0409.