Mouse droppings found in dirty restaurant

THE owner of the Chilli restaurant and takeaway faces sentencing at crown court for hygiene breaches

‘Shocking’ breaches of hygiene lead to court

A RESTAURANT owner has been sent to crown court for sentencing after admitting a series of “shocking” hygiene breaches.

Angor Miah, owner of Chilli restaurant and takeaway in Huddersfield Road, Oldham pleaded guilty to 14 counts under the Food Hygiene Act.

Oldham Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday how environmental health officers found mice droppings, cigarette ends and a dirty fridge during a routine inspection in December, 2008.

The rear yard was full of rubbish, a sink was blocked with a plastic bag and the company’s Safer Food, Better Business file had not been filled in.

Officers deemed the premises an imminent risk to health and issued a prohibition notice which, due to a technical error, could not be issued that day.

When officers turned up at Chilli’s the next day, they noticed a vast improvement.

A pest control officer was there and the premises was no longer deemed to be an imminent risk.

During an interview with environmental health officers in April, 2009, Mr Miah, of Briscoe Street, Oldham, said problems with the bins had caused the mouse infestation and he was now training staff.

However, during another routine inspection in August, 2009, the general area looked greasy, untidy and cluttered, and both cooked and raw chicken were discovered stored on the same shelf.

The Safer Food, Better Business file was still not being completed properly, and one staff member working behind the counter was not wearing protective clothing.

Mr Islam, defending, said Mr Miah had pleaded guilty to all offences and admitted it was a failing of his own management.

Problems with the bin provider had led to the build up of rubbish and he said the business had ongoing recruitment problems employing English-speaking staff.

Mr Islam said photographs taken during the inspections showed the kitchen when it was busy and were not representative of their state at the end of the night.

He added that Mr Miah had now addressed the issues raised and Oldham Council had never received a complaint about the food or illness from it.

Magistrates told Mr Miah that the offences were serious breaches of health and hygiene.

Irene Cunningham, chairman of the bench, said: “The photos of the premises were totally shocking.

“We believe our powers of sentence, which are a fine only, are insufficient in this case so are sending this to crown court.”

The matter goes before Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court on February 22.