Takeaway bosses found guilty after girl dies of peanut allergy
THE family of a teenager who died of an allergic reaction after eating a takeaway have urged “deplorable” food businesses to “stop playing Russian roulette” as two bosses were found guilty of her manslaughter.
Megan Lee, 15, who had a peanut allergy, died after eating food from the Royal Spice Takeaway in Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, on December 30, 2016.
Yesterday, a jury at Manchester Crown Court found the takeaway’s owner, Mohammed Abdul Kuddus, 40, and Harun Rashid, 38, who was alleged to be the manager, guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence.
The court heard that Megan’s friend ordered the meal through the Just Eat website and wrote “prawns, nuts” in the comments and notes section to alert staff to allergies.
But the meal, which included an onion bhaji, a seekh kebab and a Peshwari nan, was later found to have the “widespread presence” of peanut protein.
Megan had an immediate reaction to the kebab and died two days later after suffering irreversible brain damage from a later asthma attack.
In a statement read outside court, Megan’s parents, Adam and Gemma Lee, said: “Whilst we may have received some justice with today’s verdicts, we live in hope that today’s result is a warning to other food businesses operating in such a ‘deplorable and ignorant’ manner to learn from this and improve their standards with immediate effect. We urge all food businesses to improve their standards in food safety and take allergies seriously.”
Mr Lee added: “Do not guess, do not play ignorant, do not play Russian roulette with precious lives. Our lives will never be the same.”
Rashid, of Haslingden, who had claimed he was merely a delivery driver at the time, was also found guilty of failing to discharge a general duty of employers, contrary to the Health and Safety at Work Act, and another count of failing to implement and maintain a permanent procedure in contravention of EU food safety regulations.
Kuddus, of Blackburn, had already pleaded guilty to those two charges on behalf of himself and of Royal Spice Takeaway Ltd.
The two men were released on bail to be sentenced on Nov 7.