A Telford man has been fined £1,000 for operating as an unlicensed gangmaster at a slaughterhouse near Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Peter McGuigan, 56, of Shop Lane, Telford, appeared at Coventry Magistrates' Court on July 15, where he pleaded guilty to acting as an unlicensed gangmaster under Section 12 of the Gangmasters Licensing Act.
Details of the Offence
McGuigan supplied approximately 125 workers to the abattoir between January 2022 and June 2023 without holding a valid gangmasters licence. Legislation requires firms supplying workers in agriculture, horticulture, food processing, and shellfish gathering to hold such a licence to protect workers from exploitation.
He was interviewed in August 2024 following an investigation by the Fair Work Agency. According to the agency, McGuigan claimed that because the workers he supplied were licensed slaughtermen, he did not require a gangmasters licence. However, further enquiries revealed that McGuigan had been investigated in 2017 and was told he needed a licence. In 2019, his licence was revoked after an inspection found he was not working to a 'fit and proper' standard. Despite this, he continued to operate without a licence.
Court Penalty
Magistrates fined McGuigan £1,000 and ordered him to pay a £400 victim surcharge and £85 court costs, bringing the total to £1,485. He was also made subject to a 12-month labour market enforcement order requiring him to address his non-compliance. The Fair Work Agency warned that failure to comply with the order could result in further enforcement action and penalties.
Reaction from Authorities
Andy Carter, senior investigating officer for the Fair Work Agency, said: "McGuigan was fully aware of the requirement to hold a gangmasters licence, yet he repeatedly chose to ignore those obligations and continued supplying workers after his licence had been revoked. This sentence sends a clear message about the importance of operating within the law. We will not hesitate to take action against those who fail to comply with licensing requirements."
Carter added: "I would like to thank our licensing team, file quality team and criminal investigations team for their hard work and professionalism in bringing this case to a successful conclusion."
