iCook slug saga inquiry ends without criminal charges

The owner of a Dandenong food company forced to close when a slug was found says it’s the victim of a major injustice after a probe ended without criminal charges.

No criminal charges will be laid after a police investigation into the closure of a thriving food business signed off by Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.

Ian Cook — the operator of commercial kitchen iCook Foods — has reacted with disgust at the decision to end the inquiry into events surrounding the 2019 decision to shut down his company in Dandenong South.

Mr Cook had alleged the City of Greater Dandenong illegally closed iCook after a slug was planted in the business by a health official.

The company was subsequently blamed for a listeria outbreak at a local nursing home — claims Mr Cook said were false and disproved by extensive subsequent swabbing of the factory.

Forty-five jobs were lost and 10.3 tonnes of food thrown out after the decision.

He said iCook’s own investigators had compiled a 16-folder brief of evidence showing the company was the victim of a major injustice.

Ian Cook, owner of iCook foods.

“I can’t tell you how sick I feel,” he said.

“We have clear evidence of perjury and perverting the course of justice.”

Mr Cook said he was shocked at the timing of the police decision.

iCook said it would write to Chief Commissioner Shane Patton in coming days to ask why the investigation was closing after presenting police with “new and compelling evidence” just six days ago.

He says the company gave police metadata which Mr Cook says proves bodycam footage used in the case against him had been tampered with.

The businessman said he would press on with a $50 million civil action

He said Mr Sutton had acted outside of his powers in signing-off on the closure of iCook.

A Victoria Police statement said: “In July, 2020 Casey CIU commenced an investigation into allegations made by a Dandenong business, alleging unlawful activity by a local council in 2019.

“These matters have been investigated and it has been determined that no criminal charges are appropriate in the circumstances. There will be no further police investigation into the matter.”

A parliamentary inquiry into the closure last August found the closure order was prepared and served on valid grounds and for a proper purpose.

But it also found the framework in which the decision to impose the order was made and the processes that led to this decision were inadequate.

It also found iCook Foods was not dealt with in a fair or consistent way.

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