THE BOSS AND SLAUGHTERMAN OF AN EAST LONDON BUTCHE

THE BOSS AND SLAUGHTERMAN OF AN EAST LONDON BUTCHERS WERE

FINED TODAY (THURS) AFTER THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL TEST CASE PROSECUTION

BROUGHT BY THE RSPCA UNDER A POULTRY PROTECTION LAW.

JOSEPH COLE, 56, OF WHITE LADIES, TOTTERIDGE GREEN,

WHETSTONE, AND JOHN ATTARD, 40, OF JOHN FISHER STREET, STEPNEY, LOST

THEIR APPEAL AGAINST CONVICTION AND SENTENCE, AND WERE EACH FINED #50

WITH #25 COSTS AT KNIGHTSBRIDGE CROWN COURT.

THEY ARE THOUGHT TO BE THE FIRST PEOPLE PROSECUTED FOR

CONTRAVENING THE 1967 SLAUGHTER OF POULTRY ACT.

REJECTING THE APPEAL, JUDGE ARON OWEN REPLACED A THREE YEAR

CONDITIONAL DISCHAGE IMPOSED ON THE TWO MEN AT AN EARLIER MAGISTRATES

HEARING WITH THE FINES.

A PLAINCLOTHES RSPCA INSPECTOR, MR FRANK FRANZMANN, HAD GONE

TO COLEZ’S RETAIL POULTRY SLAUGHTERHOUSE IN LEYDEN STREET,

ISLINGTON, ON MARCH 31 LAST YEAR AND ASKED TO BUY A CHICKEN, SAID MR

PETER DUNKELS, PROSECUTING.

”THROUGH A HATCH IN THE WALL MR FRANZMANN SAW ATTARD TAKE A

LIVE CHICKEN FROM A BASKET – HE HELD THE BIRD UPSIDE DOWN IN HIS LEFT

HAND AND WITH A KNIFE IN HIS RIGHT HAND DREW THE BLADE BACK AND FORTH

ACROSS THE CHICKENS NECK,” HE SAID.

THE CHICKEN WAS THEN THROWN UPSIDE DOWN INTO A STEEL CONICAL

STRAINER TO DRAIN ITS BLOOD, DROPPED INTO A VAT OF BOILING WATER AND

THEN A PLUCKING MACHINE, AND FINALLY PRESENTED TO MR FRANZMANN

WRAPPED IN NEWSPAPER , THE COURT HEARD.

COLE TOLD THE COURT THAT HIS SHOP SOLD CHICKENS FOR RELIGIOUS

‘HALAL’ CONSUMPTION, BUT THAT HE DID NOT CHECK THE RITUALLY KILLED

BIRDS WERE SOLD ONLY TO JEWS OR MOSLEMS.

MR DUNKELS SAID THAT UNDER THE TERMS OF THE ACT POULTRY KILLED

IN A RITUAL WAY MUST BE PURCHASED BY OR INTENDED FOR MOSLEMS OR JEWS.

”THE PREMISES WAS NOT LICENSED BY THE RABINICAL COMMISSSION

SO THE MEAT WAS NOT KOSHER.

LIKEWISE, MR FRANZMANN WAS NEVER ASKED

WHETHER HE WAS A MOSLEM, OR INTENDED THE CHICKEN TO BE EATEN BY

MOSLEMS.

” HE SAID.

MR FRANZMANN TOLD THE COURT HE HAD BEEN WEARING A LARGE CROSS

AND CHAIN WHICH WAS CLEARLY VISIBLE AND ADDED – ”IT WAS QUITE

OBVIOUS THAT I WASN’T MOSLEM BUT THEY NEVER ASKED ME.

”

MR FRANZMANN SAID ATTARD DID NOT USE THE NECESSARY RITUAL

WORD WHILE PERFORMING THE KILLING.

AND MR DUNKELS TOLD THE COURT: ”A NUMBER OF OTHER CUSTOMERS

CAME INTO THE SHOP WHILE THE INSPECTOR WAS THERE.

ALL BOUGHT

CHICKENS PREPARED IN THIS WAY BUT WERE NOT ASKED THEIR RELIGION.

”

AFTER THE CASE RSPCA CHIEF INSPECTOR NORMAN BOOTH SAID: ”WE

IN THE RSPCA CANNOT COMMENT WHETHER OR NOT WE FEEL THERE IS CRUELTY

IN SUCH A CASE BECAUSE RITUAL SLAUGHTERING OF MEAT AND POULTRY IS

COVERED BY THE LAW.

AS LONG AS THESE ESTABLISHMENTS REMAIN WITHIN

THE LAW WE SHALL ACCEPT THEM.

BUT THIS DECISION MEANS WE WILL BE

KEEPING A CLOSE CHECK ON ESTABLISHMENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE

FULFILLING THE CONDITIONSS.

”

ENDS,