Day 104 - 15 Mar 95 - Page 15
1
2 Q. Stretching back over 40-years?
3 A. Indeed.
4
5 Q. Can you compare for us, please, Jarretts' attitude towards
6 food hygiene and food safety in a comparative way with your
7 experience over the range of abattoirs that you have come
8 to know?
9 A. Yes. Jarretts' attitude was typical in that, firstly,
10 they are most concerned to comply with the law, which is
11 natural because the law enforcement officers are present on
12 site all the time. But, in addition, they truly do wish to
13 comply with the law especially where it is a matter of
14 producing safe meat.
15
16 Therefore, I would not add to that in that -- meat industry
17 organisations of the type of Jarretts are usually of that
18 way of thinking, and Jarretts were no different.
19
20 Q. You see, Mr. Bennett, it may well be suggested -- in fact,
21 I am sure it will be, it must be I think -- that Jarretts
22 do not give a fig for human safety; all they are concerned
23 with is getting the meat through the plant as quickly as
24 they can and earning their fast buck; how do you react to
25 that?
26 A. I would refute that absolutely. I would say it was not
27 true in any way.
28
29 Q. Have you ever come across, what I might call, cowboy
30 outfits of that kind in the course of your experience in
31 this country?
32 A. Yes, not necessarily first hand. Twice, I can recall
33 encountering small firms, it must be said -- not major
34 operators -- with whom I did not wish to pursue my affairs.
35
36 Q. How does Jarrett compare in size with other operations in
37 the sense that they slaughter, I think, both cattle and
38 sheep?
39 A. If I could use the expression, it is a medium to large
40 operation.
41
42 MR. RAMPTON: Now I would like to turn, please, to the specific
43 allegations made by Ms. Hovi. My Lord, I do not ask
44 anybody to get out Ms. Hovi's statement, but if anybody
45 wants it, it is at tab 7, the Defendants bundle 1B. The
46 reason I say that is that the relevant allegations are all
47 set out in Mr. Bennett's own statement.
48
49 My Lord, for this purpose it might be convenient,
50 therefore, if he has a copy of his statement in front of
51 him?
52
53 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes.
54
55 MR. RAMPTON: Tab 2, I am told -- have you got a copy of your
56 own statement there anywhere?
57
58 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It is in yellow VII, 9A.
59
60 MR. RAMPTON: I am sorry, my Lord.
