Food Act Prosecution
Charges
11 charges against the client personally and 11 charges against his company.
Facts
The client had a pizzeria in a food court. There was a big cockroach problem. A customer came into buy some pasta and took it home for later. Upon opening the pasta the customer found a cockroach in the food. The client could not produce a receipt regarding his pest control. He was going through a messy separation and was not focused on his business at the time.
Results
Following hours of negotiations with the Council it was agreed that a number of the charges against the client personally would be withdrawn. Instead they would proceed against the client’s company.
The client was convicted and ordered to pay $20 000. He was also placed on the food Register of Convictions. In this case it was in the client’s interests to proceed against his company. Further to this, $20 000 seemed to be lenient compared to other cases where magistrates have imposed up to $100 000 in fines.
