Fear Animal Products Ltd was sentenced at The Central Criminal Court following a complex illegal meat investigation.
The case began when Southwark officers discovered 1.9 tonnes of Category 3 animal by-products, including whole and cut chickens, lamb’s testicles and beef burgers, being processed for sale into the human food chain at an illegal meat cutting plant in London.
On 4 June, the company was fined £132,000 and order ordered to pay £150,000 in costs – both must be paid within 12 months.
Sole director, Anthony Fear, was separately ordered to pay £150,000 in costs within 12 months, and £35,483.63 under the Proceeds of Crime Act within three months. The total financial penalties amount to £467,483.63.
Fear Animal Products Ltd was convicted in August 2025, alongside Fear and three other defendants – Mark Hooper, Azar Irshad and Ali Afzal. All four individuals received custodial sentences.
Fear was sentenced to 42 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud by placing food not fit for human consumption on the market, and disqualified from acting as a company director for six years.
Hooper, a manager at Fears Animal Products Ltd, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, suspended for two years, for conspiracy to defraud by placing food not fit for human consumption on the market and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
Irshad was sentenced to 35 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud, failure to comply with Regulation 19 of the Food Safety & Hygiene Regulations relating to unapproved premises, placing food not fit for human consumption on the market (smokies), placing food not fit for human consumption on the market (out of date beef burgers) and placing food not fit for human consumption on the market (Illegally diverted ABP Cat 3). Irshad was also given a criminal behaviour order for an indefinite period, prohibiting any involvement in the food industry.
Afzal was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 21 months, 150 hours unpaid work, and ordered to pay costs of £5,000 for failure to comply with Regulation 19 Food Safety & Hygiene Regulations relating to unapproved premises.
Commenting on this most recent chain of events, Andrew Quinn, head of the FSA’s NFCU said: “Today’s sentencing brings to a close a significant and complex investigation that demonstrates the NFCU’s determination to pursue not just individuals, but the companies that profit from food crime.
“I hope that the substantial financial penalties, totalling over £467,000, makes it clear that food crime does not pay and serves as a deterrent to others who may consider engaging in this type of criminality. I want to extend thanks to all partners involved in this case including Southwark, Devon, and Somerset councils. Working together, we have shown what can be achieved when agencies combine their expertise and resources to tackle serious food crime."
