Hull Butcher Convicted of Selling Mutton as Goat

A Hull butcher wrongly sold mutton as goat to an undercover trading standards officer.

Madina Butchers Limited, of Spring Bank, Hull, admitted two offences under the Food Safety Act 1990 when it recently appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court.

Company director Ismail Ibrahim Ali, 36, who was prosecuted as an individual, admitted identical offences.

The offences in question are:

• Selling food that is not of the nature or substance or quality demanded by the purchaser, an offence under section 14 of the Act;
• Selling food with a label that falsely describes the food, an offence under section 15 of the Act.

Magistrates heard that Hull City Council received an anonymous complaint stating that Madina Butchers was incorrectly selling mutton as goat meat.

On 19th July 2021 a trading standards officer visited the shop as asked to purchase a kilo of goat meat. On receiving the produce, the officer identified himself and informed Ali of the purpose of the visit.

The purchased meat was split into three sample portions. The sample retained by the officer was sent for testing, which confirmed it was 100 % sheep meat instead of the goat meat requested and described.

The court heard that there were no health concerns arising from mutton being sold as goat and noted that Ali was of good previous character.

Madina Butchers had received meat from the same supplier since 2014, but the way it was labelled meant anyone unfamiliar with different chopped meats could have confused them. Ali blamed the mix up on a member of staff.

The court also heard that it would not have made financial sense to deliberately mis-sell mutton as goat, because the mutton was sold at a higher price.

Mike Farr, mitigating for Ali, said: "He accepts at the time procedures were not watertight. There's no suggestion of health issues. He has responsible suppliers."

Mr Farr explained that sheep and goat carcasses are now stored in separate fridges and prepared in colour-coded trays.

"Lessons have been learned and I'm confident this won't happen again in the future," Mr Farr said.

Madina Butchers was fined £133 for the section 14 offence and ordered to pay £300 towards prosecution costs and £34 surcharge.

Ali was fined £50 and ordered to pay £34 surcharge.

No separate penalty was imposed in respect of the section 15 offences.