Takeaway bosses jailed over nut allergy teenager’s death
A JUDGE warned restaurants yesterday not to “flout” customers’ deadly allergies as he jailed two takeaway bosses over a schoolgirl’s death.
Megan Lee, 15, who dreamed of being a West End actress, died after eating a meal containing peanut protein in 2016.
She had pointed out her allergy when placing her order for an onion bhaji, seekh kebab and Peshwari naan online from the Royal Spice Takeaway.
But a court heard the restaurant in Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, was “a disaster waiting to happen” and paid only “lip service” to nut product risks.
After eating her meal Megan struggled to breathe, collapsed and died.
Yesterday the takeaway’s manager Harun Rashid, 38, and owner Mohammed Kuddas, 40, were jailed for manslaughter due to gross negligence.
Sentencing Rashid to three years and Kuddas to two, Mrs Justice Yip said there was now “a growing awareness” of dangers from allergens.
The judge told Manchester Crown Court: “I recognise it might be thought the sentences do not truly reflect the value of a life lost.
“I hope this tragic case adds to the growing awareness in the food industry of what can happen if food allergies are not taken seriously.
“Those who fail to heed the warnings and who continue to flout food safety regulations may find the courts taking a harsher view.”
Both men were convicted by a jury. Rashid was also found guilty of a breach of health and safety regulations, an offence Kuddas admitted.
The judge said they were “not bad men”, had shown genuine remorse and had co-operated with the investigation.
The court heard the Royal Spice had signed an agreement form with Just Eat which required it to “take into account” customer comments, including allergies.
But the takeaway had “no systems or process to manage allergen control” and nobody there had any way of knowing what allergens were in the food.
The judge said she had “profound admiration” for Megan’s parents Gemma and Adam for their handling of the tragedy and their work to highlight allergy dangers.
Earlier Mrs Lee told the court in an emotional statement that Megan was “our inspiration, our princess”.
Calling for more to be done to raise awareness in the food industry, she added: “We cannot change our story but we want to make sure that this story does not happen again.”