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'A true master of deception': Horsemeat trader jailed in Netherlands

Willy Selten has protested his innocence.

A DUTCH COURT has jailed meat wholesaler Willy Selten for two-and-a-half years for his role in Europe’s massive horsemeat scandal in 2013.

“As boss of two companies [Selten] was guilty of forging invoices, labels and written declarations and using these forged documents to trade meat,” the court in Den Bosch said in its judgement today.

Dutch prosecutors were looking for a five-year sentence for Selten.

Public prosecutor Ingeborg Koopmans previously told the court Selten was “a true master of deception”.

“He deceived his staff, his supervisors and consumers, whose confidence have been harmed … The reputation of the Dutch meat industry has been damaged,” Koopman added.

Prosecutors said they found 33 examples of false accounts, including at least one statement where meat was processed as 100% beef when it actually contained both beef and horsemeat.

In other instances, receipts were made up for meat deliveries that were never made, court papers showed.

Koopmans said the mixing of horsemeat and beef probably went on on a “larger scale” than indicated by the documents.

Innocence

An emotional Selten protested his innocence in court, although he agreed that mistakes had been made.

“We have made mistakes in our bookkeeping,” he said.

His company went bankrupt after the controversy.

“For 25 years, every day, every month, every year I have given priority to the quality of my meat,” a teary Selten said.

“A member of an organised crime group? The source of all of Europe’s misery? I am finished. I am not the big horsemeat swindler they’re all looking for. I was careless with my administration, but not intentionally,” he said.

In a weekend interview with Dutch news agency ANP, Selten said “beef cuts and horse cuts were stored in the freezer with the same article number”.

“I forgot to give them different numbers and it’s wrong what happened. Of course we should have exercised better control,” he said.

Thousands of DNA tests on European beef products after the scandal revealed extensive food fraud across the European Union, with almost one in 20 meals marked as beef likely to be tainted with horsemeat.

- © AFP, 2015

Read: Coveney: Horsemeat scandal a result of bad management, not illegal management

Read: Iceland forced to withdraw ad that claimed Irish food authority was “unaccredited”

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    Mute Seamus West
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    May 27th 2013, 4:39 PM

    The headline “Ireland’s proximity to Europe…”, I alawys thought we were in Europe!!

    93
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    Mute Gar.
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    May 27th 2013, 5:29 PM

    So what if its only one job. Every job created needs to be advertised to get people’s spirits up. Some moaners love doom and gloom.

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    May 27th 2013, 5:30 PM

    Nicely said Gar!

    29
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    Mute stupidlambu
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    May 27th 2013, 5:39 PM

    Af for god sake people cop on and wake up this is nothing in the scheme of things and also it is over 3yrs and we dont know if they are well paying or not.

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    Mute Maria Farrell
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    May 27th 2013, 5:49 PM

    @ Stupidlambu
    It’s not about how long they take to create all the jobs or how well they pay. I come from Kells and this will be a huge boost to the town. The loss of Quinn Insurance and the collapse of the construction industry was a massive blow to employment for young people in the town. I personally welcome any new employment opportunities for my friends and family.

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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    May 27th 2013, 6:43 PM

    You might call this negative, but as long as people in this country cant be bothered to get up off their a***s and provide themselves with employment by their own enterprising efforts ,they will continue to always rely on others to provide the jobs.

    19
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    Mute Mgt Helena Byrne
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    May 28th 2013, 12:48 AM

    So true!!

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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    May 27th 2013, 4:37 PM

    Next they will be announcing that the local chipper employed someone.

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    Mute Mark Garrigan
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    May 27th 2013, 4:30 PM

    Woo hoo!All them jobs over the next 3 years….Well done

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    Mute marcus de paor
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    May 27th 2013, 4:27 PM

    The government has an action plan for jobs ?…. now that’s news. .. though it was just an action plan for debt hobbling and emigration. … still good news for kells and it’s people…. lovely town

    43
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    Mute Scrap Croke Park1
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    May 27th 2013, 4:46 PM

    Don’t want to cynical but why must all employees come from the live register? Are these JobBridge positions? €50 a week jobs?

    Let’s hope they’re real jobs but here’s another question. If its part of the Succeed-In-Ireland program who gets the €1,500+ reward per job? No problem if it’s a genuine effort on someone’s part to get this company here but would love to know if they have FG connections

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    Mute Hubert Morris
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    May 28th 2013, 10:56 AM

    I will and I’m a member of FF party

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    Mute Adam Hurley
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    May 27th 2013, 4:56 PM

    Moan Moan Moan Moan Moan….now I feel like I fit in.

    34
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    Mute Vincent Dolan
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    May 27th 2013, 5:29 PM

    You need to throw in a “unsecured bond holders” somewhere to truly belong…

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    Mute W.j.d.
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    May 27th 2013, 5:55 PM

    If only 1 person gets to stay and live in the country of their birth…. It’s a start….

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    Mute Declan Hickey
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    May 27th 2013, 5:55 PM

    Sweet Jesus where are the muppets in government when 70 jobs are lost at once? Oh wait…they couldn’t be arsed.

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    Mute Declan Carr
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    May 27th 2013, 6:11 PM

    Good news for the people of Kells that is if any of the people of Kells get the any of the jobs, and do you have any idea what year it is going to happen?

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    Mute Pablo
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    May 27th 2013, 6:50 PM

    What is basalt fibre and what is it used for? Sounds like there will be manufacturing at the plant and thats a good thing..

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    Mute Jangles
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    May 27th 2013, 9:13 PM

    Its replacing the local hemp fibre industry recently busted by the Gardai.

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    Mute Pablo
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    May 27th 2013, 9:58 PM

    Put my name down for a job so. Ill bring me own lamps..

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    Mute Mark Copas
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    May 27th 2013, 6:26 PM

    Wondering here when next big business shuts will minister be there for photos. Ida is bankrolling all new business. Fecking joke

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    Mute Michael Lawlor
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    May 28th 2013, 2:17 PM

    Some people just love pissing and moaning about everything… probably why the country has always messed up to many whiners with negative outlooks.

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    May 27th 2013, 9:11 PM

    Anyone know what Basalt Fibre is?

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    May 27th 2013, 9:19 PM

    I googled it. It’s a bit like fibreglass but has different properties.
    There is no basalt in Meath though, as far as I know. Antrim is the only place in the island you find basalt.

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    Mute Arbuthnot Fink
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    May 28th 2013, 2:21 AM

    BASALT!

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