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Man pleads guilty to handling stolen goods following NFCU investigation
England and Wales specific
Following an investigation by National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) part of the FSA (Food Standard Agency), a man pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods in a case linked to wider distribution fraud of a substantial amount of poultry.
Liam Dooney, age 52, from Wigan pleaded guilty in Bolton Crown Court today [Thursday 28 August].
He was granted bail by the court until 29th September 2025, when he will appear at Bolton crown court to be sentenced.
NFCU compiled evidence of a series of offences where fraudsters impersonated legitimate food businesses in the UK.
“The guilty plea today is a result of the hard work and tenacity of all those involved in this investigation. This has been a complex and challenging case, involving several partner agencies, including Greater Manchester Police, Wigan Council, and the Crown Prosecution Service. There is no place in the food industry for any form of criminal activity.
We’d urge anyone who has suspicions or concerns about food fraud linked to stolen food commodities to discuss it with us confidentially on 0800 028 1180.”
If you suspect food fraud, report it to Food Crime Confidential on food.gov.uk/report or by phoning 0800 028 1180 (0207 276 8787 for non-UK mobiles and calls).