Posted: February 10th, 2011 - 11:12am by Doug Powell

Stewart Parnell of salmonella-in-peanut paste fame may want to rebuild his reputation and his career, but today he’s probably thankful he doesn’t live in the U.K.

Ramazan Aslan (right, photo from Chester First), operator of a takeaway responsible for an outbreak of E. coli O157 in which nine people were taken ill – one of them critically – has been jailed for eight months.

Aslan was also banned from running a food business in the future by way of a hygiene prohibition order at Mold Crown Court yesterday.


Mr Justice Griffith-Williams claimed Aslan had ignored previous warnings even though it would have cost little to put things right.


“You knew the risks, you chose to ignore them,” he said.


The judge said he accepted that there was no malicious intent by Aslan but could not accept the defence claim that he had been complacent.

“The only explanation is that you were wholly indifferent to the need for thorough food hygiene and for the health and safety of your customers,” he said.


“While I have had regard to your previous good character and to the inevitable burden upon your wife if you go to prison, I have concluded these offences are so serious that there must be an immediate sentence of imprisonment,” he said.


Aslan admitted that in July, 2009, he failed to protect food that had been cooked, and that ready-to-eat food was not protected at all stages of production, processing and distribution, against contamination, which was likely to render the food unfit for human consumption.


Karen Morrisroe, 34, of Rhosnesni, who was admitted to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, after becoming one of the victims of the E. coli outbreak, said after hearing the sentence: “I am surprised that he was jailed. I didn’t expect that. However, I think it sends out the right message. It says to other people they should take heed of the hygiene regulations.”