Pizza takeaway had mould on walls and no wash basin
A former pizza takeaway owner whose premises had mould on the walls, paint flaking off the ceiling and nowhere for staff to wash their hands must pay out £3,000.
Nasar Hussain, aged 41, was still in charge of Prego Pizza in High Street, Kingswinford, when inspectors found the host of problems.
The ex-cabbie told the court he was in the process of selling the business when health and safety official arrived and ordered him to make improvements.
Prosecutor Ms Saima Ahmed Aziz told Wolverhampton Magistrates Court: "At the time the defendant was running Prego Pizza.
"The site was revisited in March after an inspection in February when a number of contraventions were found.
"Inspectors returned again in July and discovered a number of safety and management issues. The defendant did not attend at the time. He is no longer owner of this business.
"There was mould to the walls in the rear stock room. There was chicken found in there that was at room temperature. Paint was flaking off the walls and the ceiling."
Hussain failed to keep the premises clean and in a good state of repair, as well as failing to ensure toilets did not open directly into rooms where food was handled, the court heard.
There was also no hand wash basin in the kitchen and no adequate changing facilities for staff.
Hussain, of Park Street, Lye, pleaded guilty to seven charges of failing to comply with EU provision convening food safety and hygiene.
Representing himself, he said: "In February the council inspectors came round and told me I had to do certain things, which I did in time for the next visit five weeks later in March.
"I did everything that was asked of me in time for when they returned and they were happy with it.
"When they came back in July I was already in the process of selling the shop.
"I sold it to someone I used to work there with. He was running the business, although it was legally still in my name."
He added: "The first I knew of it was when the police came knocking at my door saying I needed to go to court, I didn't leave it like that.
"It's my first year in this game, I was a taxi driver with Dudley Council for years.
"If anyone found something wrong I would get it sorted, I'm still learning."
He also said that he sold the business for about £15,000, but all that money had gone on paying off debts. He remortgaged his house to generate the capital to launch the shop.
Magistrates fined Hussain £1,600 and ordered him to pay costs of £1,249.60. He was also told to pay a £160 victim surcharge.
