Factory worker Garry Jones jailed for contaminating food products

Garry Jones, 38, worked for Evesham-based Harvey & Brockless Fine Food Company, a manufacturing firm which produces large quantities of items for restaurants across the country including Nando’s and The Ivy Group. 

As we previously reported Jones had admitted adding metal ring pulls, gloves and plastic bags into pots of hummus and adding fish to fish-free products. 

Worcester Crown Court heard, in his role at the factory, Jones worked as a ‘picker’ on the late shift, whose responsibility was to collect all of the required ingredients for the next day’s cooking.

JAILED: Garry Jones (Image: West Mercia Police)

From October 28, Harvey & Brockless were informed dozens of their products had been contaminated with items including rubber gloves, plastic bags and metal ring pulls.

After an investigation by the firm, CCTV revealed Jones had been deliberately tampering with tubs of hummus and salad dressings when he was alone.

OFFENCE: Jones contaminated products at the factory (Image: West Mercia Police)

Harvey & Brockless’s products go through a metal detector before leaving the kitchen area, meaning they could not have been tampered with during the production process and must have been contaminated in the storage area of the factory.

Jones raised further alarm when footage, which was shown to the court, showed him mixing an unknown substance into raw ingredients that were to be prepared for production the following day.

He was arrested in November and questioned by police, initially only admitting to combining fish sauce with soy sauce on one occasion.

COURT: Garry Jones outside Worcester Crown Court (Image: SWNS)

Rebecca Da Silva, prosecuting, said Jones, of Larch Road, Evesham, had also burgled one of his colleagues at the factory.

She said he had been seen loitering around the victim’s home and, a few days later, she had stayed home sick.

“She heard a bang in the kitchen, and he was sitting in the window with a foot in the sink,” the prosecutor said.

“He said 'holy (expletive)' and jumped out the window.

“Her hairbrush was missing.”

In the interview, Jones had denied knowing where her property was - but fingerprints at the home matched his.

READ MORE: Man admits contaminating food tubs at Worcestershire food factory

READ MORE: Worcester firm is set to go into liquidation

Andrew Davidson, defending, said Jones was a man who had no previous convictions and suffered a nervous breakdown.

The barrister said the trigger for the latest depressive episode was a family member becoming ill.

“He is fragile and a loner,” Mr Davidson added, describing the contamination offence as “mischief” designed to damage the company.

Sentencing him Judge Nicholas Cartwright said although none of the products had been consumed by the public, there was the potential of serious harm.

He jailed Jones for a total of 42 months for the burglary and contaminating/interfering with goods with intent.