R (Stillmans (Somerset) Ltd and Penny & Sons) v Food Standards Agency [2020] EWHC 703 (Admin)

The High Court (Foster J) upheld two decisions of Food Standards Agency (FSA) to withdraw its Official Veterinarians (OVs) from the two Claimants’ slaughterhouses following a series of threats and bullying behaviour by the Claimants’ employees. It held that EU law places slaughterhouses under a duty to provide OVs with ‘safe access’ to their premises, the FSA’s decision was within its policy on the safety of its staff, and that withdrawing the OVs was a proportionate response to the harassment and violence they faced, outweighing the commercial consequences of the withdrawal – inability to market their products for human consumption – for the slaughterhouses.

Adam Heppinstall appeared for the FSA.  He provides advice and representation on all areas of public and regulatory law.