A slaughterhouse with the worst hygiene standards ever recorded in the UK was allowed to continue operating for 3 years, causing a major outbreak of E Coli. One hundred and fifty adults and children became ill; one boy lost his life.

Inspections in the early 1990s revealed disgusting conditions including flies, contaminated carcasses and floors not cleaned until the day after slaughter. A vet from the Meat Hygiene Service said he was “overwhelmed by the very old and very poor condition” of the slaughterhouse when he first visited in 2003.

Despite the appalling state of the slaughterhouse, it continued to operate until the owners voluntarily closed it down in February 2006 - 2 months after the 3 month outbreak of E.Coli ended - 5 months after 5 year old Mason Jones died. It was the largest outbreak of its kind in Wales, the 2nd biggest in the UK and the 6th biggest in the world.

How could this happen? The Meat Hygiene Service is part of the government’s Food Standard Agency and “is responsible for the protection of public health”. How could they let the public down so badly? Another Veterinary Meat Hygiene Advisor who also saw the disgusting conditions said that he was under pressure to try to help the industry and not to shut abattoirs down. The worst slaughterhouse on record, a clear risk to public health, and he was under pressure to support the industry?

It is no surprise that the owner of the slaughterhouse, Billy Tudor, was a bully. He was described as “a difficult man with a very, very difficult relationship with anyone saying something he didn’t want to hear”. He bullied and even assaulted inspectors to get his way.

And thus, recommendations to shut down the slaughterhouse were declined by the secretary of state for Wales and 42 schools continued to be supplied with contaminated meat.

Can you trust the meat industry to put your health first? Mason Jones’s mother put it best when she said Billy Tudor had “put greed before the health and safety of our children“.