A takeaway owner and manager have been jailed for manslaughter after a 15-year-old girl died from an allergic reaction to a meal containing peanuts. Megan Lee suffered irreversible brain damage after eating food from Royal Spice in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, in 2016.
Mohammed Abdul Kuddus, 40, the owner, was sentenced to two years in prison, while manager Harun Rashid, 38, received a three-year term at Manchester Crown Court. Both had been found guilty of manslaughter in October. The court heard that Megan had highlighted her allergies when ordering, but the takeaway lacked systems for allergen control.
Sentencing, Mrs Justice Yip said Megan was responsible enough to note her allergies, but 'sadly the same responsibility was not at your end.' She added that the takeaway had no processes to manage allergen control and warned that food suppliers who fail to take proper care 'will face significant custodial sentences if a death results.'
The judge noted that both men, who are fathers, expressed genuine remorse, telling them: 'Neither of you actually foresaw the death of anyone. You must now live with the guilt.' Megan's father, Adam Lee, previously warned takeaway owners not to 'play Russian roulette with precious lives.'
The meal, which included an onion bhaji, seekh kebab, and Peshwari naan, was found to have 'widespread presence' of peanut protein. Megan suffered an acute asthma attack after eating the food on 30 December 2016. Kuddus had admitted health and safety charges but both denied manslaughter.
