Cases against halal meat operator has 'hallmarks of wheels coming off the wagon'
Gordon Deegan
A judge has stated that dealing with three separate legal proceedings in the last eight months against Shannon-based Halal meat operator, Asba Meats, "has all the hallmarks of the wheels coming off the wagon”.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett made the comment as he made a decree against Asba Meats Ltd for €22,614 concerning an unpaid Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) unfair dismissal award to Shahid Kamal.
In response to the remark, solicitor Colum Doherty for Asba Meats said that “the intention is to maintain the wagon”.
Judge Gabbett said that he would put a stay on his decree of €22,614 and said that it could be vacated if the money is paid over.
The judge said: “It is very straightforward. We just need money - it is a simple matter of paying bills.”
The owner of Asba Meats Ltd, Tarequr Rahman Khan, has previously failed to comply with a direction from Judge Gabbett to attend court.
When Mr Doherty said that Mr Khan is in court to attend to all matters concerning Asba Meats, Judge Gabbett commented: “At long last.”
Solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick was representing Mr Kamal and Town and Country Meats Ltd in a separate case against Asba Meats where Town and Country Meats obtained an order in the circuit court on June 4th 2024, to allow the company to recover €16,181 from Asba Meats, along with €750 in costs and expenses.
On Asba Meats, Mr Fitzpatrick told Judge Gabbett: “The difficulty I have is that heretofore the bona fides of this company have not been borne out.
“Agreements have been agreed, handshakes have been made, and promises have been made, and yet we are back here again.”
Judge Gabbett told Mr Doherty: “Your client was in here once before and is not taking this seriously at all. This is the problem."
He said: “This court is about resolving disputes and when there is no engagement with the system, there is a significant problem.”
Judge Gabbett told the court: “I am not going to be messed around anymore”, and asked Mr Doherty if his client was willing to give a sworn undertaking on the Koran to turn up at every court hearing in the future.
Mr Doherty said that he was, and Mr Khan got into the witness box to give his sworn undertaking.
Judge Gabbett said that he wanted the case concerning Town and Country Meats to be moved on, and adjourned the case to Ennis District Court on Wednesday, October 15th for mention.
Judge Gabbett told Mr Doherty: "Your client has had over a year to deal with this. A cheque, bank draft or cash - any currency will do as long as it is paid. Your client has to appear in court and daily if needs be."
