Food Safety

A food business operator has been fined for attempting to bribe an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) after being told poor hygiene standards were likely to land him in court.

The owner tried to hand a sealed white envelope containing £280 to a Camden Borough Council EHO after an inspection found the premises were in very poor condition. He told the EHO: ‘I do not want to go to court.’

But during a formal interview he claimed the money was a gift to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year.

The owner pleaded guilty to attempted bribery at Highbury magistrates court on 12 October. In mitigation, the defendant’s representative said the owner had been co-operative during the interview and pointed to the ‘cultural significance of the gift’.
Magistrates said it was a serious matter, but that the owner had ‘learned his lesson’. He was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay the court £280 plus £1,225 costs.

The Camden head of regulatory services, commented: ‘The officer was both shocked and surprised at this event, but hopefully not as shocked and surprised as the owner when he ended up before a magistrate. Our food safety officers carry out a demanding job and such action to divert them away from their statutory duties will not be tolerated.’