Kenneth George Harrison was also ordered to complete 175 hours of community service, 10 days of rehabilitation and has been disqualified from being a company director for eight years following a hearing at Manchester Crown Court.

Speaking following sentencing last week, James Pound, MHRA executive director of innovation and compliance, said: ‘This has been a long and complex investigation, and we're glad to have a conclusion with today's sentencing. It demonstrates our commitment to taking robust enforcement action against those who try to bypass regulations that help keep patients safe.'

Harrison and of Bolton and Medicina Limited were convicted in July following a decade-long investigation into the illegal supply of baby feeding devices.

The investigation found a number of devices, including enteral feeding pumps, gastrostomy button devices and blunt fill needles, were supplied with CE marking that were not valid, giving healthcare providers false assurances that the devices met the necessary safety standards. 

The enteral feeding pumps were used in neonatal intensive care units and special care baby units to feed very sick newborn babies directly into their stomachs. The affected enteral feeding pumps were ultimately removed from the UK and EU markets.