Fury after ‘slug gate’ probe results revealed

The result of a lengthy criminal investigation into claims a slug was planted by a council to sabotage a Dandenong South food business has been revealed.

Co-founder of I Cook Foods Ian Cook says the matter is a long way from being over. Picture: Paul Jeffers

No charges will be laid after a criminal investigation into the 2019 closure of I Cook Foods, sparking fury from the company’s boss.

Victoria Police has confirmed it has closed the case on allegations of sabotage and evidence-tampering made by the operators of the Dandenong South business.

It was the second inquiry into the closure of I Cook, a move which cost 41 people their jobs.

The first – which interviewed no persons of interest or witnesses – also found no charges should be laid.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton last year ordered a review of the first probe, which sparked the second investigation.

That decision came after revelations one of the initial detectives, Sergeant Ash Penry, had found “a level of corruption, misuse of office and a malicious prosecution were involved in this matter.”

I Cook management says a City of Greater Dandenong environmental health officer planted a slug in the firm’s kitchen and that there was evidence-tampering related to body-worn camera footage.

Company founder Ian Cook last night attacked the decision to not lay charges.

“When will this government and their police force stop lying to the Victorian people? Crimes happened,” he said.

Mr Cook said the whole affair was intertwined with his company’s commercial rival, Community Chef, which had lost millions of taxpayer dollars.

“It will all come out eventually. People just need to come clean now. Forget about Red Shirts. We need to be asking about Chef Shirts,” he said.

Mr Cook said the matter was a long way from over.

“VicPol have taken a public position. I wish them luck in defending that position in the future,” he said.

“If you think Gobbo made Vic Pol look stupid, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

Victoria Police said no crimes had been detected after an investigation into “a number of parties”.

“As part of the investigation, police obtained additional witness statements, executed four search warrants, seized emails, images and records, forensically examined items, sought expert advice from an entomologist, and interviewed one person of interest,” a spokeswoman said.

Although there will be no criminal charges, I Cook is pursuing a civil action against the state government and the City of Greater Dandenong over the closure.

It has argued Brett Sutton wrongly ordered the company be shut after the death of an elderly woman at the Knox Private Hospital, where I Cook was one of the caterers.

The company’s civil action is being spearheaded by leading barrister Robert Richter.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “We welcome the result of the police investigation”.

The Greater Dandenong City Council today welcomed the police decision on I Cook.

Chief executive John Bennie said police, two parliamentary inquiries and the Ombudsman had now cleared the council of any wrong-doing.

“There has been no cover-up, no false information, no misleading documentation,” he said.

“We provided Victoria Police with all the requested information, including photographs, body camera footage and other documented evidence.”