A butcher who was found by council officers to be keeping meat in unsafe and unsanitary conditions has been forced to pay out more than £15,000.

Thurrock Council Environmental Health Officers forced the owner of of Jones Meat Market in Derwent Parade, South Ockendon, to surrender food to protect public health in July 2021.

The officers say they found a number of serious food hygiene breaches including meat being stored at the wrong temperature, an excessive number of flies, cross contamination risks, food improperly labelled and a failure to keep equipment suitably disinfected.

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Following a hearing yesterday at Basildon Magistrates' Court the business, Kens Butchers Ltd, was fined £12,000 and owner Kenneth Christy, 59, was given a £467 fine and ordered to pay costs of £2,562.

Rob Gledhill, leader of Thurrock Council and councillor responsible for public protection, said: “The safety of our residents is our greatest concern and Thurrock Council will not hesitate to take action where businesses disregard hygiene standards.

"Our food team had engaged this butcher and worked with him to improve standards but we were forced to take enforcement action when inspections in July 2021 found serious non-compliance with food hygiene regulations.

“The majority of businesses in the borough are properly run and protect their customers by maintaining high standards of hygiene, if they fail to do that we will always put the safety of residents first and prosecute unsafe or unhygienic businesses.”