Food Standards Agency: Food Safety Witness Training Seminar

Mark Watson and Stuart Jessop attended the Food Standard Agency’s Witness Familiarisation Programme on 25th March. As part of the Programme, they trained staff from the FSA, including veterinarian surgeons and expert witnesses, on the process of giving specialist evidence in Food Safety cases.

As part of the session, various food safety cases were role played with Mark Watson and Stuart Jessop taking the role of the advocates in a trial situation with one of the delegates acting as one of the expert witnesses in the case.

Each witness was taken through their evidence-in chief and cross examined before each case and the law relating to it was discussed with the delegates with Mark and Stuart answering questions on the law and procedure. Some of the delegates had given evidence in similar cases before, whilst others had limited experience of the court system.

All participants found it useful to experience a simulated situation of giving evidence and being cross examined and to discuss with barristers about their experiences and about legal and procedural issues generally.

If you would like to discuss similar training seminars on food safety please contact the Clerks

To view the work of the Food Safety Law Team at Six Pump Court Chambers click here