Victoria Police hunting culprit of I Cook report leak

Police are hunting the culprit of an embarrassing leak which revealed a detective had found the forced shutdown of I Cook needed further investigation.

Police are hunting whoever leaked a detective’s report on sabotage allegations in the I Cook Foods closure saga.

The Herald Sun last year revealed Sergeant Ash Penry had found the forced shutdown of I Cook — which destroyed the company and cost 41 people their jobs — needed further investigation.

His assessment listed people of interest including Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, City of Greater Dandenong CEO John Bennie, council environmental health officers and others.

No one was ever questioned.

But a detective from Victoria Police professional standards command has been assigned to find the source of the Penry leak.

I Cook founder Ian Cook said he was disgusted a police investigation was being held into the source of a document that exposed a police non-investigation.

I Cook founder Ian Cook with the “Slug Truck” outside state parliament. Picture: Paul Jeffers

“It’s staggering that the only matter Victoria Police is investigating is the release of an official police report that shows they haven’t done their job, and that charges should have been laid years ago,” Mr Cook said.

“This is a clear case of Victoria Police shooting the messenger.”

Victoria Police has confirmed the internal inquiry.

“Professional standards command detectives are investigating after an internal document as part of the I Cook Foods investigation was leaked. As the investigation is ongoing, no further comment will be provided at this time,” a force statement said.

Sgt Penry, of Dandenong CIU, was assigned the case in December, 2019 and later sent his conclusion to district command.

I Cook’s photo shows some tissue near the slug but images later produced by a health inspector do not. Picture: Supplied

“In January, 2020, it became evident to me that a level of corruption, misuse of office and a malicious prosecution was involved in this matter,” he wrote.

A second police investigation into the I Cook saga was launched last year after a review ordered by Chief Commissioner Shane Patton.

It resulted in no charges.

The initial Penry report included allegations from a City of Greater Dandenong health inspector that her workplace wanted to ruin I Cook.

The company has alleged a slug was planted in a kitchen of the Dandenong South business in an act of commercial sabotage.

I Cook, which supplied councils, hospitals and nursing homes, was ordered to close by Prof Sutton after being found responsible for an 86-year-old woman contracting listeria in January, 2019, causing her death a month later.

The company said the shutdown was made in the wrongful belief that I Cook was the only supplier of food at the Knox Private Hospital.

It is suing the council and the Department of Health and Human Services in what looms as a high stakes civil case.