Former takeaway owners charged with manslaughter over teen's death

Two former takeaway owners face manslaughter charges following the death of a 15-year-old girl who suffered an allergic reaction to food she was thought to have bought from their business.

Megan Lee from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, died on 1 January, two days after she was admitted to hospital, having eaten a meal from the Royal Spice takeaway in Hyndburn.

She died from acute asthma due to a nut allergy, according to Lancashire Police.

The BBC reported that Mohammed Kuddus, 39, of Blackburn and Harun Rashid, 38, of Haslingden are due to appear at Blackburn Magistrates' Court on 4 January.

Royal Spice was temporarily closed by Hyndburn Council but is now trading under new ownership.

Mr Kuddus of Belper Street, Blackburn and Mr Rashid of Rudd Street, Haslingden are both charged with manslaughter, failing to discharge general health/safety duty to a person other than an employee and contravening or failing to comply with EU provision concerning food safety and hygiene.

The company that owned Royal Spice has been charged with one count of failing to discharge general health/safety duty to a person other than an employee.

Last year, Mohammed Zaman was jailed for manslaughter in what was then thought to be a first for a restaurant owner, after a customer died from an allergic reaction to peanut in his takeaway curry. Paul Wilson, 38, had asked for no nuts in his chicken tikka masala.

It is often difficult to prove manslaughter, but in Zaman's case there were writen instructions on the order and the takeaway lid. Detectives discovered a menu from Zaman's restaurant and seized the barely-eaten curry, which was found on Wilson's kitchen table, and sent it for forensic examination.

Zaman, the owner of the Indian Garden restaurant in Easingwold, North Yorkshire, denied he was responsible for Wilson's death, but the jury at Teesside Crown Court was told he had swapped almond powder for a cheaper ground nut mix that contained peanuts.

Zaman's appeal against his conviction failed last month.

Restaurateur's appeal against manslaughter jail sentence fails >>

Allergens: do you know your ingredients? >>