Following an investigation by the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU), part of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a man was sentenced after pleading guilty to handling stolen goods in a case linked to wider distribution fraud of more than half a million pounds worth of poultry.
Liam Dooney, age 53 from Wigan, received a custodial sentence after an NFCU joint investigation into food fraud.
At Bolton Crown Court, Dooney was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment for handling stolen goods worth in excess of £500,000. NFCU said he must serve at least half of his sentence in custody, and he was disqualified as a director for seven years.
Dooney previously operated a food cold-storage company in the Wigan area, and had earlier pleaded guilty in Bolton Crown Court to handling stolen goods, and had been granted bail.
NFCU compiled evidence after it was alerted of a series of offences in which fraudsters impersonated legitimate food businesses in the UK to secure deliveries of food from overseas suppliers and one UK-based supplier.
This reportedly involved cloned details from McDonald’s franchises in order to steal cargo of chicken and turkey. NFCU recovered 16.8 metric tonnes of stolen poultry, and this later had to be downgraded to pet food due to a loss in traceability.
Andrew Quinn, head of FSA’s NFCU, commented: “We are pleased with this custodial sentence as it shows as there is no place in the food industry for any form of criminal activity.
“We work with partners, supporting industry to meet their responsibilities and minimise the risk of any food theft resulting in food fraud. This complex case investigation has included Greater Manchester Police, Wigan Council, and the Crown Prosecution Service.
“Food businesses should be vigilant to the risk of food fraud and safeguard against this, and alert to the potential of being offered stolen goods. Food businesses can help ensure they don’t become victims of theft by doing their due diligence with suppliers and customers.
“We’ve advised hundreds of businesses on how to increase their resilience to fraud so people can trust the food they buy is safe, and what it says it is.”
