Food firm boss must pay more than £7,000 after mice droppings found on cake packets
The owner of a food company where mouse droppings were found on cake packets has been ordered to pay more than £7,000.
Mandeep Singh, aged 37, pleaded guilty to an offence of failing to protect food against contamination likely to render it unfit for human consumption and an offence of failing to comply with EU provisions concerning food safety and hygiene.
The case relates to a premises inspection at Chatha Fresh Food Limited, based at Atlas Trading Estate off Bradley Lane in Bradley on April 28 last year when 'ready to eat' food was found contaminated with mouse droppings in a chiller room.
Sole trader Singh blamed the infestation on damage caused to the building during a previous burglary at the site, near Bilston. Chatha produces sandwiches and supplies pre-packaged products including cakes to retailers.
Miss Jane Sarginson, prosecuting on behalf of Wolverhampton City Council, said: "The inspection found clear and obvious evidence of mouse droppings on the floor and around the room."
The droppings were seen on "sealed" packaging for cakes which could have contaminated the contents once opened.
She said an emergency prohibition notice was issued for the site and further checks carried out in the following day. She said the defendant filled up a hole in the brickwork, but further "less pronounced" droppings were discovered in a second chiller room and on a mezzanine floor.
Miss Sarginson added that droppings found on the mezzanine during a check carried out in March this year had been cleared up.
Mitigating barrister Mr Stephen Jackson told the hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court: "The business was set up in 2019 and this incident happened in 2022. There is no evidence that this was wilful blindness on the part of the defendant or that he did not care."
Mr Jackson said a Chatha employee responsible for checking for rodents had left shortly before the inspection and had not been replaced and that a pest control contractor was on the books.
"This was a purpose-built premises which was inspected annually. It is not possible to say what occurred to allow mice to get in the chiller. There is a possibility that the building fabric was affected by two burglaries including when the safe was taken," Mr Jackson said.
For failing to protect food Singh was fined £667, after the court heard the company itself was not charged with any offence relating to the case and that he currently earned an annual salary of £19,000 from the enterprise.
However, he was ordered to pay £6,338 costs plus the victims' surcharge, all to be paid within three months. There was no separate penalty for failing to comply.
The prosecution was brought under Regulation 20 of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.
Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for environment and climate change at Wolverhampton Council, said: "Poor food hygiene can cause significant illnesses and this business owner has knowingly put his customers at risk.
"This shows a shocking lack of care and responsibility and I hope other businesses take note of the court's judgement in this case.
"Our environmental health officers work very hard to protect residents and consumers and I hope this sends out a strong message to food businesses that we take food hygiene very seriously in Wolverhampton."
