Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Butcher’s fined after boy lost his finger in mincer
Court told of ‘cataclysmic’ shop accident
AN award-winning butcher’s and one of its staff have been fined after a teenage employee lost his finger in a mincer.
The 16-year-old was working at the M&W Farm Meats counter at Costcutters in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, on November 18, 2017, when the “cataclysmic” incident occurred.
Company director Clayton Moore, of Moy Road in Portadown, Co Armagh, admitted failing to ensure – so far as was reasonably practicable – the health, safety and welfare of his employees.
Master butcher George Hamill, of Ballycullen Road, Dungannon, pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of the victim.
Both appeared for sentencing at Dungannon Crown Court where it was disclosed the boy’s role included cleaning machinery for which he had received some informal training. On the day of the incident he was being supervised by Mr Hamill, and in the process of cleaning the machine, a cloth fell into the mechanism, became caught and couldn’t be retrieved. Mr Hamill loosened the clamps preventing access to the mincer blades.
However, when he tilted the device to allow the victim to reach in to get the cloth, it started up.
The victim sustained very serious injuries to his right hand, including the loss of an index finger, while his middle finger was severely damaged.
After numerous surgical procedures, the teen’s middle finger has been fused with metal pins but his grip is poor and oversensitive to cold.
Judge Paul Ramsay fined Mr Moore £3,500 and Mr Hamill £500 and both will pay legal costs of £7,624.