A shop in Wolverhampton which sold meat nearly two months past its sell-by date has been fined £1,800.

Clarkes Stores, in All Saints Road, was found to be stocking 18 packets of out-of-date bacon, ham and sausages.

Many of the items, including one tub of ham 57 days out of date, were considered so dangerous to consume they were rated five out of five on Wolverhampton City Council’s scale of causing a risk to the public.

The store admitted nine counts of selling food past its sell by date when it appeared before Wolverhampton Magistrates Court yesterday.

It had previously been cautioned for selling dangerous toys and alcohol to children.

Ms Jacky Bramley, prosecuting, said when investigators moved in on September 17 last year there were no written procedures for staff to monitor stock, while workers were unsure who was responsible for removing old items.

Ms Bramley added: “Quite simply, these items constituted a danger to the public.

“The owner claimed he had been on holiday and this was his mum and dad’s fault as they had been looking after the business – essentially he was rying to give officials the runaround.”

Mr Avi Pawar, for Clarkes, which made a £45,000 profit last year, said shop managers had now made changes.

He said new safety measures had been put in place, systems altered and written notices put up around the store.

He added: “The company regrets the circumstances which have arisen and now has written procedures to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“This is a large store, which stocks about 5,000 different lines of product, and they will make extra sure there is no stock left on shelves which could be a danger to the public.”

Sentencing, district judge Graham Wilkinson said: “There was no possible excuse for this.”

He ordered the shop, represented in court by director Harjit Singh, to pay a £1,800 fine and £768 costs.

The investigation was launched by Wolverhampton City Council after a member of the public complained.