Dirty takeaway owner prosecuted after evidence of rats and mice were found
Date published: 24 September 2018
A dirty scene from Kravings Deli and Dessert Bar
Environmental health officers found evidence of rats and mice when they visited a dirty takeaway.
The owner has now been successfully prosecuted by Oldham Council for repeatedly breaching food hygiene laws.
Officers originally visited Kravings Deli and Dessert Bar in Glodwick in July last year after receiving three separate complaints that rodents had been spotted in the premises.
An uncontrolled mouse infestation was discovered and the owner voluntarily closed the business.
Over the following week three follow-up visits were made until the business was allowed to reopen.
During those visits the officers also found a number of other food safety and hygiene breaches, including: a wash basin that did not contain hot running water, no lighting on first floor of the premises preventing thorough cleaning and pest monitoring, dirty work surfaces, and workers not wearing protective clothing when preparing food.
Five months later officers carried out a programmed inspection and discovered another mouse infestation.
Again the owner voluntarily closed the business.
On September 20 at Tameside Magistrates’ Court Muhammad Sufian Ali, of Spotland Road, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to 11 offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, Regulation 19.
He was fined a total of £4,100 plus £1,450 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.
The Court also made a Hygiene Prohibition Order under Regulation 7(4).
This means Ali must not be involved in the management of food premises in England and Wales.
There is no time limit to the Order. However, the Regulations allow Mr Ali to apply to Court after six months to lift the order.
The premises is currently closed.
Muhammad Sufian Ali has also been prohibited from running a food business in the future, following a successful application to the court by Oldham Council for the prohibition.
Councillor Arooj Shah, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “When people buy food they should be safe in the knowledge that it’s been prepared in a clean kitchen – not somewhere that potentially puts their health at risk.
“We’ll continue to carry out visits and make sure businesses are selling food from clean premises.
"If they aren’t operating within the law then we will not hesitate to take action against them.”
All food businesses inspected by the council are given a rating based on their compliance with the legal requirements for hygiene, structural condition and confidence in the management.
Following a food hygiene inspection a business is rated from five for a very good through to zero for those premises that need to improve urgently.
It is voluntary for the businesses to display the rating but gives the consumer an indication of its overall level of food hygiene compliance.
All Oldham food business ratings are on the Food Standards Agency website: http://ratings.food.gov.uk/QuickSearch.aspx
Consumers are urged to check food hygiene ratings before they eat out or order meals online.
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