A dad who claims he hasn’t been able to stop farting after eating a ham roll at a Christmas market five years ago has launched a £200,000 compensation case. Tyrone Prades believes he has suffered a “severe and life-changing injury” after scoffing the festive ham hock sandwich at Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market in December 2017.
The 46-year-old says he continues to suffer from serious stomach issues, including chronic flatulence, after contracting salmonella which left him bed-bound for five weeks. The Mirror reports that Mr Prades is also allegedly kept awake at night by “churning noises” coming from his belly and wants Frankfurt Christmas Market Ltd to pay damages.
However, the company denies blame and claims there was no salmonella bacteria at the ham hock stall. According to documents filed at the High Court in London, Mr Prades, of Chippenham, Wilts, went to the market with his wife and children on December 9, 2017.
Within 24 hours, he was ill, suffering with stomach cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, stated his lawyer, Robert Parkin. He was bed-bound for five weeks and remained ill for months, being described by a medic seven months later as "noticeably pale...very thin and tired."
"The claimant began to return to life as normal during 2019, but continued to feel lethargic and to suffer from bouts of diarrhoea and similar complaints," he says. The symptoms are, primarily, fatigue and altered bowel function...associated with 'churning' within his abdomen, and with flatulence.
"The claimant continues to suffer from excessive flatulence, which causes him a great deal of embarrassment. The claimant's stomach continues to make frequent churning noises to the extent that his sleep can become disrupted.
"As a result of inactivity following the incident, the claimant has become overweight. He has struggled to keep up with his pre-incident leisure and work activities."
Mr Prades - who runs a flooring company - had also suffered with chronic fatigue syndrome and eye problems, causing his vision to become blurred so that he needs glasses when reading. "The extent of the symptoms has been life changing," his barrister added.
Mr Parkin claimed the ham hock had been contaminated with salmonella bacteria and that other visitors to the market fell ill after eating at the stall. "A total of 16 people in three groups complained of similar symptoms after eating at the stall," he says.
"Following an investigation by Public Health England, two cases of salmonellosis were confirmed as originating at the stall between 9 and 11 December 2017. E.coli bacteria was found on a knife used to cut cooked meat and an unsatisfactory level of enterobacteriaceae - the family of bacteria containing both e.coli and salmonella - was found.
"This caused the stall to be closed and deep cleaned and the remaining food disposed of."
Mr Prades is suing the company, alleging it was negligent in supplying a contaminated bap, having failed to have sufficient hygiene measures in place. "It is plain that a foodstuff which is contaminated in the manner the bap was was not one which was suitable for human consumption," he says.
The company is defending Mr Prades' allegations, disputing that he was infected by salmonella bacteria and also questioning the size of his claim. Their barrister, Philip Davy, said Birmingham City Council environmental health officers had attended the stall to do tests.
But no salmonella was found, only the presence of e.coli on a knife - and Mr Prades had not claimed he suffered an e.coli infection, he said. "The allegation the bap was contaminated with salmonella bacteria is not admitted and must be proved," he said.
"Whilst the claimant contends his primary injury to be alleged salmonellosis, no salmonella bacteria were isolated at the ham hock bap stall. Accordingly, causation is, has been, and shall remain, in issue in this case."
The case went before a judge, Master Mark Gidden, at the High Court last week for a hearing to plan a future trial of the claim. Rory Badenoch, for Mr Prades, said the damages claim would be for more than £200,000 and potentially considerably more given the ongoing effect on him.
He said Mr Prades had suffered a "severe and life-changing injury."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
