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Southwark Café fined for food safety breaches following death of 12-year-old girl from allergic reaction

A Southwark café operator has been fined £18,000 and handed a 100 hours community order at Croydon Magistrates Court on Friday 24 January 2025 following the death of 12-year-old Mia-Shay St Hilaire.
Mia-Shay St Hilaire

Mia-Shay, from Sydenham, suffered a severe allergic reaction after drinking a milkshake at Pop-Inn Café, Southwark Park Road, while visiting with her aunt and sister in August 2023. 

In a case brought forward by Southwark Council, the café’s food business operator, Baris Yucel, pleaded guilty to six charges. These included not making allergen advice available or visible to consumers, failing to manage allergen contamination during the food production process, and serving food that contained an allergenic ingredient that was not supposed to be present. 

Mia-Shay had a tree nut allergy, and it is believed that hazelnuts and almonds were present in the drink. CCTV evidence showed that Mr Yucel had not cleaned the blender before preparing Mia’s milkshake and there were substances that caused her to suffer a severe allergic reaction left behind from the preparation of a previous milkshake. 

Following Mia-Shay’s death, Southwark’s food safety team led an investigation to identify food safety breaches. Officers visited the Pop Inn Café and breaches in food law were found during the investigation, with the decision taken to prosecute Mr Yucel. He pleaded guilty to all offences. 

The enforcement officer who visited the café ensured procedures to prevent a re-occurrence had been put in place and has made several follow up visits to check these are being maintained. 

Cllr Natasha Ennin, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods said: “What happened to Mia-Shay is a tragedy and my heart goes out to her family and the people who loved her. This might have been avoided if the operator of the café had followed simple food safety rules, and our officers will continue to work with local businesses to help ensure these are followed by all food outlets in Southwark.” 

Southwark’s food safety team monitor and enforce the laws on food safety and food standards by carrying out inspections without warning, running targeted projects, investigating complaints and buying and trying food to test it. 

Date
27 January 2025