David Birrell prosecutes landmark Liverpool hotel in major Food Hygiene case

June 23, 2017

Instructed by Liverpool City Council, David Birrell prosecuted the owners of the Adelphi Hotel for a string of offences contrary to the Food Hygiene Regulations.  The allegations centred around cleanliness and the failure to control pests, namely cockroaches and rodents.

David worked closely with environmental health officers, an independent food safety expert and the Council’s legal department in order to rebut the defence of due diligence raised by the Hotel’s owners.

Having been convicted, the owners of the Adelphi Hotel were fined a record £232,500 and ordered to pay costs of £35,000. The case has attracted significant media coverage.

David has considerable experience of food hygiene law, both prosecuting and defending and acts for a number of public and private organisations.

David is regularly instructed on behalf of local authorities nationwide. He has extensive experience of cases in the following fields: benefit fraud, trading standards, statutory nuisance, licensing, dangerous dogs and food safety offences.  He regularly advises in conference with local authority solicitors and representatives from their client departments. He is a regular speaker at Exchange Chambers’ annual Local Government and Social Housing training day.

Clients wishing to instruct David in food hygiene or other regulatory work should contact Jonathan I’Anson.