Con artist’s honey ‘not imported’

The Irish Food Awards say that tests carried out on a honey brand submitted for its consideration by a convicted con artist and her partner — who were found dead in their Limerick home in May — show the product could have come from Ireland.

Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards, sent samples of the honey submitted by Julia Holmes and her partner Tom Ruttle to Germany for testing amid claims they may have passed imported honey off as their own produce.

The bodies of Holmes, 63, also known as Croen Ruttle, and Tom Ruttle, 56, were discovered by burglars who had broken into Mr Ruttle’s home at Bouliglass, Askeaton, in the early hours of May 18.