Thumb-bite Deliveroo rider worked after guilty plea

A delivery rider who bit off a customer's thumb continued working for Deliveroo, even after the account she was using at the time was suspended.

Jenniffer Rocha, 35, from Aldershot, Hampshire, previously pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm after an argument over a pizza in December 2022.

Following her court appearance, Deliveroo cancelled her account.

But BBC News filmed Rocha in April still delivering food, again apparently using a Deliveroo rider account.

A second account that Rocha was accessing has also been suspended, Deliveroo said.

She is due to be sentenced on Friday.

The big three delivery apps – Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats – announced this week they would tighten up their systems to check the identities of what are called "substitute" riders.

Warning: This story contains a graphic image and details that some readers may find upsetting

Stephen Jenkinson, 36, had ordered a pizza from the Deliveroo app on 14 December 2022.

After Rocha arrived at the wrong location, Mr Jenkinson walked down the street to meet her – but forgot to pick up his phone.

This caused an argument, as he had needed to give Rocha a delivery code from his mobile in order to collect the food.

Mr Jenkinson said he was then attacked.

He said he raised his hand to Rocha's motorcycle helmet and she bit his thumb with "force".

When she eventually let go, Mr Jenkinson lifted up his arm and "sprayed her with blood", as his thumb had been severed just above the knuckle.

Deliveroo previously described the original incident as "awful".

Rocha pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm at Winchester Crown Court on 19 March.

But weeks later, BBC News tracked down Rocha in Aldershot and twice observed her riding her moped and picking up food for delivery.

On the second occasion, on 18 April, she was filmed going to a takeaway, collecting a bag of food, putting it into the box on her bike and riding off.

When asked, the takeaway manager confirmed Rocha was delivering using a Deliveroo account.

A Deliveroo spokesperson said the company was committed to preventing misuse of its platform.

They said: "We immediately cancelled the account that was being used at the time of this terrible incident and subsequently terminated an alternative account.

"We have strengthened our processes and recently introduced a new registration process and identity verification technology for substitute riders."

On Tuesday, the Home Office announced Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat would be tightening up their identity checks.

Ministers had been concerned the current system allowed illegal working.

All riders are self employed and can lend their account to anyone they want – a so-called substitute.

The main account holder has in the past been responsible for checking that person is over 18, has no serious convictions and is legally allowed to work.

BBC News revealed last year how it led to illegal workers and even children working for Deliveroo, with a black market of accounts for sale or rent online.

The Home Office criticised the companies for failing to tackle illegal working and organised a series of meetings with them.

Deliveroo rolled out its new system last month, saying it was the first major platform to carry out "direct right to work checks".

The company said the new scheme included "a registration process and identity verification technology".

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