Halal slaughtermen hacked sheep’s throats
HALAL slaughtermen chanted and performed a tribal-style dance as they hacked at the throats of sheep.
The still conscious animals were strung up alive as they bled out at the abattoir, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, a court heard.
Kabeer Hussain, 44, and Kazam Hussein, 55, were filmed taunting animals, waving knives in front of them and shouting at them. Some sheep could be seen slipping and staggering away from the duo as blood poured from their necks.
The shocking undercover footage of workers ‘hacking and sawing’ at animals’ throats, filmed inside Bowood Farms abattoir by the charity Animal Aid, provoked a public outcry.
Legislation, expected to come into force in May, was put before the Commons this week to force all abattoirs to install CCTV. Hussain and Hussein received suspended prison sentences yesterday at Leeds Magistrates’ Court for causing unnecessary suffering to animals.
Howard Shaw, prosecuting, said abattoir boss William Woodward ‘simply turned a blind eye to the animals’ welfare at his slaughterhouse’. A vet had brought breaches of the law to the attention of the 32-year-old but he failed to take action.
Mr Shaw described Hussain and Hussein performing a bizarre shuffling-style dance and chanting in front of the sheep they were about the kill.
All abattoirs must be approved by the Food Standards Agency, but the regulatory body does not check whether halal meat is prepared according to religious rules. Many certify themselves as adhering to halal standards, which say animals must be killed with a single sweep of a surgically- sharp knife while a Muslim recites a prayer.
The sheep must be humanely restrained and not moved for 20 seconds, giving them time to lose consciousness.
But footage showed 1,760 of 2,200 sheep, which were secretly filmed having their throats cut, were released before they lost consciousness. They were hacked at multiple times before being strung up by their hind legs.
Woodward, from Daventry, Northamptonshire, was sentenced to 20 weeks in jail after admitting failing to prevent unnecessary suffering of animals.
Hussain, of Bradford, admitted causing suffering and was sentenced to 16 weeks in jail, suspended for a year. Hussein, also of Bradford, admitted causing unnecessary suffering and was sentenced to 18 weeks, suspended for a year.
Another defendant, Artur Lewandowski, was seen grabbing sheep and throwing them into the restraining area, rather than using a conveyor belt. The 32-year-old from Darlington admitted causing unnecessary suffering and was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work with £100 costs.