Latest news with #HiltonFoods
Sunday World
3 days ago
- Sunday World
TikToker has injury award raised after video of him dancing disregarded over lack of evidence
Appeal court cited lack of evidence as to when footage was shot TikTok influencer Mario Pompa (37) successfully sued Hilton Foods (Ireland) Ltd in Dundalk Circuit Court in February this year. Mr Pompa claimed he had to stop working in 2022 due to an ongoing neck, back and shoulder injury he sustained after regularly carrying bags weighing up to 25kg. He alleged the injuries happened during 13-hour shifts in the company's spice room, where spices are mixed for sausage production. Former meat-factory worker Mario Pompa sued his employers Hilton Foods (Ireland) Ltd over a shoulder tear sustained while carrying heavy loads He was awarded a total of €17,958 including €11,000 for his shoulder, €5,000 for the neck and back pain, and €1,958 in special damages. Hilton Foods, which was insured by Aviva, subsequently appealed the decision. While the defendant accepted liability, it was argued that Mr Pompa was exaggerating his injuries. Clips of the plaintiff posted on his TikTok account showed him using a SkiErg machine, weightlifting and doing assisted chin-ups at a gym in September 2021 – a month before he told a GP from the Injuries Resolution Board that he hadn't been able to go to a gym since 2020 – were previously shown to the court. Stock photo: Reuters Videos of him dancing were also posted online. In her ruling, Ms Justice Sara Phelan said it was possible that the videos were made, saved as drafts and posted at a later date. 'In the absence of evidence as to when these videos were made, I must disregard the videos,' she told the appeals court sitting in Dublin. Regarding discrepancies in some of Mr Pompa's evidence, Ms Justice Phelan noted how English is not his first language as he is originally from Slovakia. She said his 'thought process was a little delayed by reason of this' and it was 'not surprising' that after five years he did not remember exactly what he had told his GP. Ms Justice Phelan said she could not penalise him for the lack of detail in the medical reports about him going to the gym because none of the doctors were called to give evidence. Read more Therefore, the judge was not able to ascertain what questions were asked during the consultations. 'I am satisfied that having observed him, heard his evidence and looked at the medical reports, that he did not exaggerate his symptoms or the severity of his injuries,' she said. An MRI scan had shown he had suffered a deep tear in his shoulder, which she was satisfied was caused by his work at Hilton Foods. While she considered the injuries to be in the minor range, she said she had to depart from the personal injury guidelines because she did not believe his injury made a substantial recovery within two years. 'The minor range does not provide for substantial resolution outside of two years,' she said. Mr Pompa was awarded a total of €18,250 including €14,000 for his shoulder injury, €2,500 for his neck, back and arm complaints, and €1,750 in special damages.
Sunday World
15-07-2025
- Sunday World
TikTok videos by worker in injuries case may have been filmed before he was hurt, court told
Meat factory worker turned TikTok influencer Mario Pompa (37) made a successful personal injuries claim against Hilton Foods (Ireland) Ltd in March this year Tik Tok videos of injured factory worker may have been recorded when he was well - appeals court is told Dancing and exercise videos posted on social media by a factory worker, who claimed he had to stop work due to injury after years of carrying heavy bags, may have been recorded some time earlier, when his health was good, a court has heard. Meat factory worker turned TikTok influencer Mario Pompa (37) made a successful personal injuries claim against Hilton Foods (Ireland) Ltd in March this year. He claimed he had to stop working in 2022 due to an ongoing neck, back and shoulder injury he sustained after regularly carrying bags weighing up to 25kg. He alleged the injuries happened when he started doing heavy lifting in the 'spice room', where spices were mixed for sausage production. He said he worked three 13-hour shifts a week and had to carry bags weighing between 10kg and 25kg, and got two 30-minute breaks. Mr Pompa, originally from Slovakia but living in Ireland since 2005, was awarded nearly €18,000 in compensation at Dundalk Circuit Court. It had been argued by the food company that video footage showing Mr Pompa doing dancing and gym exercise contradicted what he had told various doctors about the extent of his injuries. The videos were from September 2021 – a month before he told a GP from the Injuries Resolution Board that he had not been able to go to a gym since 2020 due to persistent pain. Other videos of him dancing around the house were also played. Judge Terence O'Sullivan said at the time that he would give Mr Pompa the benefit of the doubt and that he had not set out to completely lie or misrepresent his injuries. Mario Pompa at Dundalk District Court. Picture: Arthur Carron Hilton Foods appealed that ruling, and the appeals court in Dundalk sat yesterday under Justice Sara Phelan. James McGowan SC, representing Mr Pompa, brought him through evidence that he had first gone to the doctor in August 2020 with shoulder pain, and that scans had shown he had rotator cuff tendonitis and a partial tear of a tendon, and should do physiotherapy sessions and take medication for pain. He said his work continued until 2022 when he started to have problems with chest pain. The cause of the chest pain was not being attributed to his work at the factory, the court heard. Mr Pompa said he was no longer working for Hilton Foods because he had been 'fired' a few months ago. His use of social media and TikTok started in 2019, the court heard, when he started posting fashion and clothes- related posts and then started doing dancing and singing videos lasting 30 seconds to a minute in duration. He said he still does some videos and making the videos made him feel better. He said that at one point, four livestreams had earned him €1,500 in total. Padraig McCartan SC put it to Mr Pompa that he was exaggerating his injuries and misled his own doctors and company doctors by not telling company doctors that he had received compensation at an earlier date for back injuries he sustained in a road traffic collision in 2008. Videos of Mr Pompa, which he had himself posted to social media in September 2021 and February 2023, were shown to the court. They showed him exercising in a gym, throwing and catching a heavy 'medicine ball', and dancing with a vacuum cleaner. Mr Pompa said that the fact that the videos were posted on certain dates did not mean they were recorded on those dates, and they may have been recorded in 2019 or 2020. Mr McCartan said that Mr Pompa had not made that argument about the timing of the recording of the videos being possibly different to the publishing date at his previous Circuit Court case. 'He has the benefit of hindsight and knowledge of the existence of these videos and the use they were going to be put to in this court and the court below to try to explain away the relevance of the date they came into being,' he said. 'It's my submission that this is no more than a minor injury. There is no frozen shoulder here. 'There is complete recovery. If you accept the video evidence certainly in 2021 he had made a substantial recovery within one year.' Mr McGowan said the fact that one video appears on two different days on his client's social media timeline proves the fact that the publishing date of the videos can be different from the day of recording. 'The dates that are seen does not prove the dates the recordings were made. Of course Mr Pompa has had an opportunity to consider the matter. He was ambushed with this stuff the first time around in the Circuit Court,' he said, adding that the defendants had not brought any evidence to show the date of posting the videos was the date of their creation. Judge Phelan adjourned the matter and said she would issue her ruling on July 25.
CTV News
24-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
New food processing and distribution facility to be built in Brantford
The Ontario government says Hilton Foods Canada will be building a food processing and warehouse distribution centre in Brantford, creating 150 jobs in the city. The 230,000-square-foot facility will supply protein products, including beef, pork, lamb and seafood to distribution hubs in Mississauga, Cornwall and Moncton. The Brantford location will also be Hilton Foods Canada's first food manufacturing centre in North America. According to its website, they operate in 10 countries. Most are in Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand. 'This is the beginning of a long-term commitment to Ontario's food supply chain, to the people of this region, and to the future of high-quality Canadian food products, right here in Brantford,' said Matt Lee, the regional CEO of Hilton Foods, in the release. 'We're proud to be bringing innovation, quality and efficiency to the food supply chain, and most importantly, provide Canadian families with products they can trust and enjoy every day.' The company will invest $192 million into the facility, while the province said it will kick in $1.5 million through its Southwestern Ontario Development Fund.
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Meat mogul millionaire faces heated opposition over plans to demolish 1950s bungalow in exclusive Sandbanks peninsula and build £15m 'superhome' in its place
A meat mogul millionaire has a brewing beef with his new neighbours over his plans to demolish a bungalow and build a £15million 'superhome' on Sandbanks. Hilton Foods Group co-founder, Philip Heffer, shelled out £3.6million for a 1950s style property on the exclusive part of Dorset known as 'millionaire's playground'. More recently, he was given the green light to demolish the run-down Dorset bungalow and replace it with a multi-million super home, which would boast five balconies. Bungalows were traditionally known as a single storey home, but in recent years it has become increasingly common to add a second floor. By the end of construction, the four storey beachfront mansion would be worth an estimated £15million, but his plans have struck a sour note among locals. Among those who have been left feeling off-key about the proposal is piano teacher and neighbour Vivien Shiplee as she believed the balconies will peer into her holiday home. The 68-year-old is concerned the 'superhome' will not only look straight down into her front and back garden, but that the flat-roofed property will cast her home in a shadow. But she isn't the only one to voice her worries, as the Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum also believe Mr Heffer's home poses a threat to locals privacy as it 'will significantly increase the overlooking to the adjacent houses' rear gardens'. However many neighbours are against his most recent proposals for a £15million 'superhome' (Pictured: Mr Heffer's white bungalow in the centre) The forum also questioned the meat mogul's intentions with the flat roof in their statement, saying: 'It is worth mentioning that there is no roof plan to control what is placed upon the roof, its use and what may protrude upon the skyline.' Other mansions on Banks Road in the exclusive stretch of Dorset prime real estate have luxury observation rooms and sun terraces to take in the stunning views. The property is on the 'panhandle' of Sandbanks and will look out on Poole Harbour on one side and the sea on the other. The narrow strip of land has also been identified as a major flood risk in years to come, with experts predicting rising sea levels. Up until now planning officials at Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council have backed Mr Heffer's plans, despite complaints about privacy and over development. They say such concerns come with the territory of living on Sandbanks. Planning officer Claire Moir said the size and design of the new mansion are no different to others that have been built in recent years. She added the 'inevitable overlooking' from balconies was now commonplace due to the 'pattern of development' and was something Sandbanks residents had to accept. Although Mr Heffer was granted planning permission and building work now is underway, he has gone back to the council seeking to amend the scheme and make the whole building slightly taller. By the end of construction it is estimated the property would be worth around £15million Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum also believe Mr Heffer's home poses a threat to local's privacy as it 'will significantly increase the overlooking to the adjacent houses' rear gardens'. MailOnline has approached Mr Heffer for comment. Mr Heffer comes from a dynasty of meat barons, with his father Robin having founded wholesalers Romford Wholesale Meats. But he has since stepped back from his role as chief executive of the pre-packed high quality meat supplier after revenues rose to £3.85billion last year. Last year, his meat firm were planning to expand further after profits jumped by nearly two thirds. The food packaging company, which supplies major supermarkets including Tesco, Morrisons, and Waitrose, reported bumper pre-tax profits growth of 64.2 percent to £ 48.6 million in 2023. Its UK seafood arm returned to operating profitability thanks to price hikes and new business contracts after being heavily impacted the year before. However he is not the only millionaire in the area with planning application woes, as another rich hopeful was deal a devastating blow last May. Tom Glanfield, 46, bought the rundown house in an exclusive area of Dorset known as 'Millionaire's Row' in March 2023. He had dreams of knocking the cottage down and building a state-of-the-art eco-home, but had been hit with resistance ever since. And now, despite locals writing in 28 letters of support for the plans, councillors are being recommended to turn down the 46-year-old's plans on 'conservation grounds'. It comes after Tom Glanfield, 46, bought the rundown house in an exclusive area of Dorset known as 'Millionaire's Row' in March 2023 But since then he has been involved in a two-year fight to demolish the cottage and replace with an eco-home Planning officer Babatunde Aregbesola is set to tell members at Bournemouth and Poole Council on Thursday: 'The proposal by reason of the demolition of the existing cottage would result in the total loss of the non-designated heritage asset causing significant harm to the Sandbanks Conservation Area. 'Consequently, losing a positive building within the Sandbanks CA to a single dwelling of an unsympathetic design is not considered a heritage or public benefit which could outweigh the harm to the significance of the Conservation Area.' The matter was referred to the committee due to the high amount of public support. Elsewhere on 'Millionaire's Row', residents on the exclusive Sandbanks resort emerged victorious after plans for a four-story 'monstrosity' AirBnB was rejected. Fears were raised that it would be snapped up by AirBnB hosts cashing in on demand for rowdy stag and hen parties in the upmarket resort. It came with plans to double the size of a restaurant on site which councillors were warned would transform the pretty street into a 'commercialised strip mall'. The committee voted unanimously to refuse the plans over concerns about the size, bulk and mass of the proposed four-story building, fears of flood risks and concerns about the restaurant element of the plans.
