Food Poisoning in Elton

Posted: April 14, 2015

Posted in: Food Poisoning Restaurant Accidents 

Following a staggering 24 cases of food poisoning experienced by customers of The Sutton Arms in Darlington Road, Elton, the pub’s owner, Michael Alan Flegg has today appeared in Teesside Magistrates’ Court where he admitted nine counts of food hygiene offences.  Flegg, aged 68 is now awaiting sentencing as magistrates agreed that due to the seriousness of the offences, sentencing should be decided by Teesside Crown Court.  The offences took place last Easter Sunday and the customers were all struck down with gastroenteritis.

Stockton Council’s environmental health department received a complaint from one of the victims upon which an investigative visit took place.  It was found that several food regulations were being breached, including using food past its sell-by date.  Mouse droppings were found in an external food storage shed, and it was reported that equipment and storage containers were in a very poor state of repair.  Food hygiene standards were found to be very low.

‘Abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea’

Representing Stockton Council, Michelle Stowe stated that samples had been taken from different households of people who had visited the pub on 20 April 2014 and that 24 people had suffered from gastroenteritis.  6 of the victims suffered from a common cause of food poisoning called clopstridium perfringens.  The symptoms are abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea and Ms Stowe confirmed that the common source between the people sampled was the Sutton Arms.

There were 14 follow up visits by environmental health officers of which 13 were non-compliant with food hygiene regulations. A date for sentencing has still to be set.

If you have experienced illness through poor food hygiene, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us.

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