ONTARIO: House arrest for woman in meat tampering case

27.oct.09
Guelph Mercury
Thana Dharmarjah

GUELPH -- A former Maple Leaf Foods employee who inserted sewing needles
into meat products at a local No Frills store was sentenced to 18 months
of house arrest.
Justice Robert Weseloh said 42-year-old Mastoora Qezil's behaviour
caused "panic in the community and tarnished the reputation of both the
retailer and the producer."
During her conditional sentence, Qezil is to remain within Ontario
unless she has the permission of her supervisor, not possess or consume
any alcohol, perform 100 hours of community service, attend treatment
program for her mental health issues and attend anger management
counseling.
She is also to abide by a curfew and not attend within 50 metres of a No
Frills store.
Qezil's sentence is to be followed by six months of probation.
During Qezil's bail hearing, court heard that on March 17, the accused
went to a discount store inside Willow West Mall, in Guelph, bought a
set of sewing needles and then went to buy groceries at the No Frills
store.
While there she inserted 13 needles into 12 Schneiders and Maple Leaf
products. The woman bought some groceries and returned 10 minutes later
claiming her daughter found a needle inside a Schneider Lunchmate
Stacker Turkey product.
Surveillance footage from the discount store showed Qezil buying the
needles. Cameras at No Frills show her in the meat section concealing
something in a food bin. Police located a needle in the bin and
determined it was bought at the discount store.
The accused later confessed when police told her about the video.