Day 104 - 15 Mar 95 - Page 16
1
2 THE WITNESS: I have, in fact, got it.
3
4 MR. RAMPTON: It is tab 9A. I am afraid it is right at the back
5 of the volume. My Lord, I will take the Hovi allegations
6 in the same order that they are dealt with by Mr. Bennett,
7 that is to say, the allegations of breach of regulations
8 before the allegations of bad practice. Can you turn to
9 page paragraph 31 on page 10 of your statement,
10 Mr. Bennett? It may be easier if you take it out of the
11 file, I do not know.
12
13 Q. You observe there, Mr. Bennett, that Ms. Hovi has alleged
14 the following: "The slaughterhouse and the cutting
15 premises operated with a considerable overcapacity causing
16 the meat to be cut and dispatched at temperatures higher
17 than the required seven degrees, leading to an added risk
18 of contamination and bacterial growth". I want to ask
19 three questions about that, Mr. Bennett. Have you noticed
20 what one might call the "operation at considerable over
21 capacity" at Jarretts or not?
22 A. No.
23
24 Q. Have you noticed whether or not they dispatch the meat on
25 any regular basis at temperatures higher than seven degrees
26 Centigrade?
27 A. No, remembering that I must rely on records apart from
28 the few occasions.
29
30 Q. I want you to look at some records, please, that is in the
31 Jarrett file, my Lord, starting at page 121 which is a
32 document dated 2nd February 1994. Have you got there,
33 Mr. Bennett, the document "Process Control Sheet, Dispatch
34 and Box Chill"?
35 A. I have.
36
37 Q. Is it dated 2nd February 1994?
38 A. Yes.
39
40 Q. What is this sheet -- it may be obvious but you tell us?
41 A. It is a record of the condition of the meat on
42 dispatch.
43
44 Q. We see from the middle column that the animals were
45 actually killed on 28th January and dispatched, as we see,
46 on 2nd February. Do you see that?
47 A. Yes.
48
49 Q. Is that a dangerous period for which to keep meat or not?
50 A. No, it certainly is not.
51
52 Q. We see that the customer destination is McKey for all these
53 pieces of meat ---
54 A. Yes.
55
56 Q. -- whatever they are. There are some headings: "General
57 condition of container: Good. External condition of
58 container: Good. Temperature of chill at the time of
59 loading" -- I am sorry some of these are cut off -- "is
60 minus one. Container temperature, before minus one, after
