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.

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