Butcher guilty of low staff wages

A Sheffield butcher's shop has become the first employer in the UK to be prosecuted for deliberately not paying its staff the national minimum wage.

David Jackson, 60, and Pauline Smout, 41, who own Jackson's Butchers in Chaucer Road, pleaded guilty to offences against two former employees.

They must now pay them more than £11,000 in compensation.

Three other prosecutions for minimum wage offences have been made since it was introduced in 1998, HMRC said.

Jackson, from Pontefract, and Smout, from Sheffield, were charged with non payment of minimum wage and failing to keep adequate pay records.

Jackson was additionally charged with furnishing false information over pay records.

Andy Millican, from HM Revenue and Customs, said: "This sends a message to employers, large and small, that we will actively pursue those we suspect of flouting national minimum wage law.

"If employers fail to pay the national minimum wage and refuse to comply with the law they could receive a fine and criminal record."

From 1 October 2007 the minimum wage for workers aged 22 or over was raised to £5.52 an hour.

For 18 to 21 year olds it is £4.60 an hour, and for 16 to 17 year olds it is £3.40 an hour.