Takeaway owner pleads guilty to food safety offences after allergy death of 15-year-old girl

A takeaway owner accused of the unlawful killing of a 15-year-old girl who suffered an allergic reaction to a meal has pleaded guilty to two food safety offences.

Bangladeshi national Mohammed Abdul Kuddus, 39, of Belper Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to a count of failing to discharge a general duty of employers, contrary to the Health and Safety at Work Act, and another count of failing to put in place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure or procedures in contravention of European Union food safety regulations.

He also entered guilty pleas to the same offences on behalf of Royal Spice Takeaway Limited, trading as Royal Spice Takeaway.

His co-defendant, fellow Bangladeshi national Rashid, of Rudd Street, Haslingden, pleaded not guilty to those charges.

The pair both deny manslaughter following the death of Megan Lee.

The teenager, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, had eaten food from the Royal Spice Takeaway in her home town on December 30 2016.

She died in hospital two days later and a post-mortem examination showed she died from acute asthma due to nut allergy.

Kuddus and Rashid deny the manslaughter of the teenager and also deny offences of failure to discharge the general duty of employers and a contravention of EU food safety regulations between December 29 2016 and January 1 2017.

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At an earlier hearing in May, Kuddus also entered not guilty pleas to the above two offences on behalf of Royal Spice Takeaway Ltd, trading as Royal Spice Takeaway.

The trial, which is expected to begin later on Thursday, is estimated to last up to four weeks.

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