LONDON BOROUGH OF HARINGEY Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
Planning & Environmental Control Service LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS
Re Premises:
Date(s) of Offence(s): 15th June and 30th June 2002
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STATEMENT OF WITNESS
(Criminal Justice Act, 1967, Section 9;
Magistrates' Court Act, 1980, Section 5A(3)(a) and 5B;
Magistrates' Court Rules, 1981, Rule 70)
Statement of: : DR. YUNES R. TEINAZ
Age of Witness: : OVER 18
Occupation of Witness: : Senior Environmental Health Officer
Address: : 639 High Road, Tottenham, London, N17 8BD
Telephone Number: : 020 8489 0000
This Statement, consisting of 26 pages signed by me, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that, if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.
DATED: Signed: ...........................................................…..
Signature witnessed by: ..........................................
1. I YUNES R. TEINAZ, am employed by the London Borough of Haringey as a Senior Environmental Health Officer in the Commercial Group. I hold a BSc in Environmental Health from Kings College, London; a Masters Degree in Public Health from the Medical School, Dundee University; a University Certificate in Tropical Community Medicine and Health from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and a PhD Degree in Environmental and Social Studies from Liverpool University.
Signed: Signature witnessed by:
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
(C.J. Act 1967, SS2, 9; M.C. Rules 1981, r.70) LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS
Re Premises:
Date(s) of Offence(s): 15th June and 30th June 2002
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Continuation of Statement of: DR. YUNES TEINAZ
I am a Registered Environmental Health Officer, Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and I am a Member of the Association of Meat Inspectors. Since my graduation in 1994 as an Environmental Health Officer, I have worked for several Local Authorities as a generic Environmental Health Officer, specialising in Food Safety, Health and Safety and Infectious Disease Control. My duties include the inspection of food premises and enforcement of The Food Safety Act 1990, the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation, including meat hygiene and safety.
2. As part of my duties in Haringey I am leading a project on Meat Safety seeking to ensure that the local food traders and the meat industry within the Borough comply with the Food Safety Act 1990 and the other associated legislation.
3. On Friday 14 June 2002 I received an anonymous call alleging that a blue transit van (registration T759 AST) would transfer illegal meat known as “smokies” to another vehicle belonging to a Haringey resident, Mr. `Mohammed Hasnet Khan (known by the nick name Moon), of 39, Lansdowne Road, South Tottenham, London N17. The information suggested that Mr. Khan took delivery with his associate, Mr. Amjad Farouq, early morning on Saturdays in Lansdowne Road, Tottenham N17 or Rosbery Industrial Estate, Rosbury Avenue, N17, or in other locations, at the car park of the Turkish Food Centre, Ridley Road, E8.
4. On SATURDAY 15th JUNE 2002 at approximately 5.00 a.m . I visited LANSDOWNE ROAD AND ROSBERY INDUSTRIAL ESTATE. I did not find a blue van or any sort of delivery of meat taking place. I then received another anonymous call stating that the blue
Signed: Signature witnessed by:
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
(C.J. Act 1967, SS2, 9; M.C. Rules 1981, r.70) LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS
Re Premises:
Date(s) of Offence(s): 15th June and 30th June 2002
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Continuation of Statement of: DR. YUNES TEINAZ
van was due to arrive from Haringey to RIDLEY ROAD MARKET, HACKNEY, E8, and the transfer of the cargo into a white Mercedes van would take place in the Turkish Food Centre.
5. As a result of this information, I contacted Hackney Police Station for assistance. I went to that station and met a police sergeant who I now know to be PS Ian Knox. I showed him my ID card and I informed him that I had received information that a consignment of illegally slaughtered meat was to arrive imminently at a car park of the Turkish Food Centre in a blue Transit van (reg T759 AST) from Haringey and then be transferred to another vehicle, which I believe would be a white Mercedes van.
6. While PS Knox started to position his car, I noticed a white Mercedes van (registration No. K202 SKK) drive past along Ridley Road and stop at the junction with Marks Rise. The driver, who is now known to me as AMJAD FAROUQ, of 11, WALSHAM HOUSE, LONDON, SE17 2DN, appeared to see the police vehicle. It then turned left into Marks Rise and drove away.
7. PS Knox changed the position of his vehicle so it was out of sight in the car park. A short while later the blue transit van (registration T759 AST) arrived. A man introduced himself as JOHN EDWARDS, who I now know as JULIAN JONES, OF BACKOES FARM, DESKFORD, CULLEN, MORAY, SCOTLAND. He was with a passenger who introduced himself as JAMES ELLIOTT EVANS, who I now know to be JAMES ELLIOTT of BLACKHILLS , PETERSHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE, SCOTLAND AB42 3LR. I asked the driver to open the side door of the van and I could see what I thought at the time to be 100 carcasses and about 10 sheep heads. These were sheep carcasses that had been slaughtered
Signed: Signature witnessed by:
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
(C.J. Act 1967, SS2, 9; M.C. Rules 1981, r.70) LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS
Re Premises:
Date(s) of Offence(s): 15th June and 30th June 2002
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Continuation of Statement of: DR. YUNES TEINAZ
with the skin in tact and then had been scorched with a blowtorch. The skin was stained by black burnt wool hair. The heads were not attached to the carcasses. The sheep carcasses were not split, but the abdomen was incised between the perineum and the sternum. The legs, tail and head had been removed. The carcasses contained the pluck, the larynx, the trachea, lungs, heart, liver and spleen. None of the hearts, livers and other organs had been incised. Some livers showed signs of parasitic cysts. The lungs had lesions consisted with parasitic pronchopneumonia. The udders of lactating female animals had not been removed from the carcasses. The kidneys also remained attached to the carcasses without having been removed from their covering membranes. Because the carcasses had not been stacked in orderly fashion, it was not possible to accurately count them. I asked MR. JONES how many there were and he replied that there were more than 100.
8. The vehicle (Reg. T759 AST) was not refrigerated and the carcasses were in a warm condition. There was a noticeable foul smell when the door was first opened. There were no health marks or evidence of inspection on the carcasses. The floor and front dividing panel between the load and the driver’s section was in a dirty condition and not suitable to be in direct contact with food.
9. Smokies are sheep and goat carcasses that have not been skinned, the fleece being burnt off with a blow torch prior to evisceration (i.e the removal of the internal organs) for flavour and golden colour. Carcasses prepared in this way are commonly known as ’smokies’ and are unit for human consumption. Smokies are much sort after by African Communities in London and many parts of the country, and as such they carry a price premium. An old one
Signed: Signature witnessed by:
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
(C.J. Act 1967, SS2, 9; M.C. Rules 1981, r.70) LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS
Re Premises:
Date(s) of Offence(s): 15th June and 30th June 2002
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Continuation of Statement of: DR. YUNES TEINAZ
purchased for a few pounds can retail at £100 and £150 after being produced as a smokie.
In many African countries, smokies are a traditional way of producing sheep joint carcasses. Smoked sheep heads which contain specified risk material including the brain, are also highly sought after as they cannot be produced in compliance with meat hygiene legislation.
11. Smokies are a significant risk to public health for five main reasons:
(i) They come from animals, which have not undergone ante-mortem inspection and may therefore have been affected by disease communicable to humans.
(ii) They have not undergone post-mortem inspection and therefore are affected by a disease or condition, which would render them unfit for human consumption.
(iii) They have not been skinned and have not been eviscerated under supervision, and may therefore pose a greater risk of contamination of pathogens caused by normal animals such as salmonella and E.Coli 0157.
(iv) The carcasses may contain specified risk material i.e spinal cord and tonsils of sheep with permanent teeth and sheep heads and spleens.
(v) Spread of Hydatid disease, as smokies are often produced in remote farms, and parts of offals disposed to the field, attracting dogs, foxes and other carnivores which act as an intermediate host for the spread of this disease to humans as well as to livestock.
(vi) They had not been produced, stored or transported in accordance with the requirements of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995.
(vii) The carcasses were from ovine animals in excess of 12 months of age. The carcasses had not been split and the spinal cords were therefore still present. The spinal cord in
Signed: Signature witnessed by:
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
(C.J. Act 1967, SS2, 9; M.C. Rules 1981, r.70) LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS
Re Premises:
Date(s) of Offence(s): 15th June and 30th June 2002
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Continuation of Statement of: DR. YUNES TEINAZ
Ovine animals in excess of 12 months of age constitutes specified risk material (SRM) as defined by the Specified Risk Material Regulations 1997 Sections 7(1) and 29(2).
(viii) Sale for human consumption or for preparation for such sale of food, namely sheep carcasses which contain specified risk material is contrary to section 2.3 and 16 of the Food Safety Act 1990. In addition, being in possession for the purpose of sale for human consumption, or for preparation for such sale of food, namely sheep carcasses and sheep heads which failed to comply with Food Safety Regulations by being unfit for human consumption, is contrary to sections 8(1)(4) and 8(2)(b) Food Safety Act 1990, and associated legislation.
12. I noticed after finishing my inspection that the passenger JAMES ELLIOTT had walked off.
13. JULIAN JONES smelt strongly of rotten meat. His clothing was dirty and stained, as well as his hands which were bloodstained. I said to him “Do you know what's in the back?” JONES said “Smokies sheep. We are doing a delivery for a man”. I said, “Do you have any documentation for these sheep?”, JONES said “No”. I informed Jones that I intended to seize the meat and to drive the van to a secure location in Haringey. A seizure notice in accordance with the Food Safety Act 1990 Section 94 (3)(b) and (4) was prepared and handed to MR. JONES, under the name of JOHN EDWARDS as he had initially introduced himself. I produce in evidence Notice of Seizure marked Document 1 and signed by me. I have also served a certification of meat failing to meet the requirements of the Fresh Meat
(Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended) (Regulation 23(3)) under the
Signed: Signature witnessed by:
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
(C.J. Act 1967, SS2, 9; M.C. Rules 1981, r.70) LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS
Re Premises:
Date(s) of Offence(s): 15th June and 30th June 2002
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Continuation of Statement of: DR. YUNES TEINAZ
Food Safety Act 1990. The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 as amended by the Meat (Enhanced Enforcement Powers) (England) Regulations 2000. I produce in evidence the unfitness certificate marked Document 2, and signed by me.
14. The van (registration T759 AST) was delivered to a secure location at Tottenham Lane, N8. The van was driven by MR. JULIAN JONES and escorted by myself and PS Knox. On arrival at the site I served the seizure notice and the unfitness certificate. I produce in evidence the witness statement of PS Ian Knox marked Document 2, and signed by me.
15. I asked MR. JONES to attend the Council Offices at 639, High Road, Tottenham, N17 on Monday the 17th June 2002, with a form of identification to complete the seizure procedure under the Food Safety Act 1990 and associated legislation and also to attend a formal interview under PACE. MR. JONES agreed to do so. I also advised him to contact a solicitor to attend with him.
16. On the 17th June 2002, at about 10am MR. JULIAN JONES attended the Council Offices at 639, High Road, Tottenham, N17. He failed to produce ID as agreed and he admitted that his real name is JULIAN JONES, not JOHN EDWARD as he had initially said on the 15th June 2002.
17. MR. JONES was interviewed under caution at 639, High Road, Tottenham, London N17 by Dr. Yunes Teinaz, Senior Environmental Health Officer, and David Taylor, Senior Environmental Health Officer in the presence of Ms. Sioned Humphreys from BBC Wales, who acted as interpreter for MR. JONES upon his request, due to the fact that MR. JONES’S first language is Welsh. Ms. Humphreys assured me before the interview that any information would remain confidential.
Signed: Signature witnessed by:
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
(C.J. Act 1967, SS2, 9; M.C. Rules 1981, r.70) LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS
Re Premises:
Date(s) of Offence(s): 15th June and 30th June 2002
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Continuation of Statement of: DR. YUNES TEINAZ
18. During the interview, MR. JONES stated that JAMES ELLIOTT, the passenger with him on the 15th June 2002 shared the driving with him, and that he took the meat from West Wales. He maintained that his part of the process of the sale of illegal meat was to do the driving and that he drove from Wales to London on a fairly regular basis. He also stated that the van (registration T759 AST) did not belong to him; he was just the driver. He stated that he picked the consignment up from a man he named as MR. TEGWIN JONES in Carmarthan, West Wales, and that the meat belonged to CARMELO GALE and COLIN PATTERSON. When he delivered the meat to London, either AMJAD (AMJAD FAROUQ) or MOON KHAN (MOHAMMED HASNET KHAN) received the delivery. I produce in evidence a transcript of the interview marked Document 4, and signed by me, David Taylor statement of witness marked Document 5 and Shenaid Humphreys’ statement of witness marked Document 6, both signed by me.
19. After the conclusion of the PACE interview, I reserved the seizure notice under the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Certificate of Meat Failing the Requirement of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended). I produce in evidence documents marked Document 7 and Document 8 and both signed by me. I advised Mr. Jones that the documents were for the removal of the meat in order to have it dealt with by a Justice of the Peace. A further Notice under section 9 of the Food Safety Act (Food Condemnation Warning Notice) setting the time and place where the food would be seen by the Justice of the Peace was to be served on him by Recorded Delivery post.
Signed: Signature witnessed by:
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Ref: ES/P&ECS/CG/YT/CH
(C.J. Act 1967, SS2, 9; M.C. Rules 1981, r.70) LBH v JULIAN JONES & OTHERS