Megan’s death is ‘killing me inside’
ONE OF MEN ACCUSED OF HER MANSLAUGHTER TELLS COURT OF HIS SADNESS
A TAKEAWAY worker said the death of a teen after an allergic reaction is ‘killing me inside,’ a jury heard.
Mohammed Kuddus, 40, and Harun Rashid, 38, deny the manslaughter of Megan Lee, 15, by gross negligence.
Giving evidence as the Manchester Crown Court trial continued, Mr Rashid, a father-of-three, said he ‘can’t imagine’ her family’s loss. Megan, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, died days after she had eaten food from the Royal Spice Takeaway in her home town in 2016.
Prosecutors claim Mr Rashid was the manager of the takeaway but he says he was a delivery driver and had no managerial role. The defendant said he sold the business to (his codefendant) Mr Kuddus in late 2015.
The jury has heard that Megan was asthmatic and had an allergy to nuts. When ordering food via the Just Eat app, prosecutors said a comments section of the order form was filled with the words ‘prawns, nuts.’
The Crown says takeaway staff should have known what this meant or checked over the phone.
Questioned by his barrister Peter Coulson QC, Mr Rashid said he had seen Megan’s order, which included a peshwari naan, an onion bhaji and a seekh kebab. He told the court that he didn’t think there were nuts or prawns in the items and that the restaurant would not serve people who told them they had allergies. The takeaway was closed down when evidence of mouse droppings, dirty appliances and pans piled up uncleaned were found by Trading Standards and council environmental health staff. Mr Moulson asked Mr Rashid: “How did you feel when the business was closed down?”
“Sad because a girl had died,” Mr Rashid replied. “We were not bothered about our business but because a girl had died. It’s killing me inside.”
Mr Kuddus, of Belper Street, Blackburn, has admitted one count of failing to discharge the general duty of employers and another count of contravention of EU food safety regulations.
He also entered guilty pleas to the same offences on behalf of Royal Spice Takeaway Limited, trading as Royal Spice. Mr Rashid, of Rudd Street, Haslingden, has pleaded not guilty to those charges. Both defendants deny manslaughter by reason of gross negligence.
Proceeding