Two men face charges for their alleged role in a horse meat-tainted beef scandal that engulfed most of Europe in 2013. The case comes to court more than a year after the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) broke the news that some food products sold throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom contained beef mixed with horse meat.
"It is alleged that Peter Boddy, owner of a West Yorkshire slaughterhouse and game dealer, and David Moss, the manager of the slaughterhouse, failed to comply with traceability requirements for horses slaughtered at their premises, contrary to regulation 4 of the General Food Regulations 2004,” said Sue Patten, the head of fraud at the Crown Prosecution Service. "They are charged with two counts of this offence between July 1, 2012, and Feb. 12, 2013. In addition, David Moss is charged with one count of forgery relating to an allegedly falsified invoice for the sale of horse meat."
The case following an investigation by the Food Standards Agency, Dyfed-Powys Police in Wales and Calderdale Council in West Yorkshire. All individuals involved in the case will appear before the Westminster Magistrate's Court on April 14.
Law-enforcement officials arrested Boddy, owner of the Peter Boddy Slaughterhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, in February. Boddy allegedly sold horse meat raw materials to another firm, which were later made into kebabs and burgers and sold as beef. The Crown Prosecution noted that it is not being alleged that the meat was being sold as another meat.
The scandal unfolded in January 2013 after the FSAI discovered traces of horse meat in burgers sold at Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and other retailers. Traces of horse DNA also were found in frozen meat pies, lasagnas and spaghetti. The scandal became a pan-European crisis and the investigation into the source of the contamination spanned 12 months.
