Northamptonshire village publican fined £12,000 over death of pensioner, 91, poisoned by shepherd's pie

A Northampton landlord has been fined nearly £12,000 after a 91-year-old woman died of food poisoning from eating a meal served in his village pub.

The pensioner was part of a church group celebrating harvest festival at the Crewe Arms, a 15th century pub in Hinton-in-the-Hedges, near Brackley.

She was among more than 30 diners struck down after eating a shepherd’s pie prepared by the chef at the time, John Croucher, in October 2018, a court heard.

Charges were brought against the chef and landlord Neil John Bellingham following an investigation by South Northamptonshire Council, which revealed a series of serious food safety failings.

Croucher was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months, at Reading Crown Court last month.

The 40-year-old, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to placing unsafe food on the market, was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community and to pay costs of £4,000.

Landlord Bellingham, 54, was fined £9,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs after admitting failing to register a food premise, failing to implement and maintain a food safety management system, and failing to provide staff with supervision, instruction or training.

His company Bobcat Pub Co was fined £2,928 after admitting failing to register a food premise, failing to implement and maintain a food safety management system, failing to provide staff with supervision, instruction or training, and placing unsafe food on the market.

The pub was given a five-star rating by food hygiene inspectors following a visit in December 2019.

Councillor David Smith, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety on West Northamptonshire Council, said: “This is an incredibly sad and tragic case, which demonstrates the serious consequences of failing to follow food safety regulations.

"I commend the officers whose detailed investigation helped to bring these individuals to justice in the interests of public safety.

“Our deepest condolences also go to the friends and family of the lady who sadly died.”

The court heard a shepherd’s pie was prepared specially for the church group’s function.

But poor cooking, cooling and reheating of various ingredients led to it becoming grossly contaminated with Clostridium perfringens bacteria, giving food poisoning to all 32 people who ate it.

The dish had been rushed and basic food safety practices and procedures had not been followed, creating the perfect environment for the bacteria to rapidly grow.

The day after the event, the council Health Protection officers received a call from the event organiser to report a significant number of the group had been taken ill with severe stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

It was later confirmed that one of the diners had been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where she sadly died.

Environmental Health officers from the council worked alongside colleagues from Public Health England to conduct a full investigation, which uncovered numerous food hygiene offences and led to the prosecution.