A NEWPORT food manufacturing company have been fined £100,000 after turkeys were found defrosting outside in dirty water in the yard of the premises.

Newport City Council carried out an investigation into Severnside Provisions on the Leeway Industrial Estate in December 2013 after information was received from the Food Standards Agency.

The council's environmental health officers found large quantities of turkeys defrosting outside in dirty water in the yard of the premises and being processed in a garage in unhygienic conditions.

The items found at the premises were seized and destroyed. But not before some of the turkey had already been sold to butchers’ shops, restaurants and other outlets which led to the Food Standards Agency issuing a national recall.

South Wales Argus:

Severnside Provisions Ltd director Anthony O’Sullivan, aged 47, of Old Hill, Newport, and manager Martin Lincoln, aged 56, of Amelia Way, Newport, were both accused of selling food that was unsafe and 11 other breaches of the food hygiene laws.

They pleaded guilty to all 12 offences last month and were both sentenced to 24 weeks imprisonment at Newport Crown Court on Friday. The company was fined £100,000 and O’Sullivan was ordered to pay £272,815 under the Proceeds of Crime Act along with the council's costs of £35,185.

Both O’Sullivan and Lincoln were warned in 2010 that turkey processing was not permitted by their company. However, records showed that large quantities of turkeys were sold by Severnside Provisions in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Councillor Bob Poole, Newport council’s cabinet member for regulatory functions, said: “This is a satisfactory conclusion to what was a very worrying situation. This company was putting people’s health at serious risk for the sake of profit.

“I would like to thank the environmental health officers who investigated and brought this successful prosecution. I know that the majority of food producers and sellers have extremely high standards and I’m sure they share our dismay at firms who don’t take the same care."

He added: “I hope this case sends out the message that the council, the courts and the public take food safety very seriously and we will take action against those who don’t.”