Latest Birmingham businesses up in court including for mystery ingredients, underage sales and live mouse

Rodent infestations, a live mouse found in a trap and alcohol sold to teenagers saw a number of Birmingham businesses hit with huge fines or short-term closures in August.

Birmingham Magistrates Court heard a number of cases brought against businesses by the city council in dedicated days known as ‘Corporation Court’.

Here is a round-up of restaurants, takeaways and shops which found themselves in the dock in the past month.

Mediterranean Pizza, School Road

Workers at the takeaway were unable to provide details of ingredients contained in a doner burger and a pizza when quizzed by council officers during a visit in September 2025.

The company had also faced a charge of failing to make available information regarding relevant foods at a hearing on Thursday, August 13.

Prosecutors said the company had fully complied with officers during the investigation but representatives failed to attend court and were found guilty of the two offences in their absence.

Magistrates issued a £4,000 fine and ordered the company to pay a £1,600 surcharge and prosecution costs of £1,937.35.

7 Star Food and Wine, Glenpark Road

A 16-year-old was able to purchase a bottle of WKD Blue vodka from the store without being asked to provide any ID.

The incident happened during a Birmingham Trading Standards test purchase exercise carried out in January this year.

In mitigation, the court heard the company did have steps in place to prevent this but said a member of staff failed to adhere to them and so the owners accepted their responsibility.

Magistrates fined the company £154 and ordered it to pay a surcharge of £62 and costs of £1,000 at the hearing on Thursday, August 13.

Golden Kitchen, Ermington Way

Environmental health officers discovered a live mouse on a sticky board trap during an inspection in May 2025.

They also found mouse droppings throughout the takeaway including in food preparation areas and on packaging containing food.

Magistrates heard it was the first inspection carried out at the premises under the ownership of GK Chinese Ltd, which had registered the company just weeks before.

The company, which did not attend the Thursday, August 27 hearing, was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay a £1,200 surcharge and prosecution costs of £1,591.35.

Sonali Supermarket, Lozells Road

Sonali Supermarket director Mohammed Shafique Uddin admitted failing to stop rodents infesting the business and protecting food from contamination.

Uddin pleaded guilty to six charges during a hearing held at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Thursday, August 27.

Lawyers representing Uddin requested an adjournment for sentencing so they can gather vital documents including company accounts and this was granted by the bench.

Magistrates adjourned the case for sentencing and this will take place on Thursday, September 24.

Al-Aqsa Halal Meat, Showell Green Lane

The butcher shop was ordered to shut down when council inspectors found an “active infestation of cockroaches and mouse droppings at all levels over containers of prepared food”.

Birmingham Magistrates Court granted a hygiene emergency prohibition order on Monday, August 24, because of an imminent risk of injury to health.

Store bosses were told they would have to stay shut until officers were satisfied the risk to public health had been eliminated.

The butchers was given a Food Hygiene rating of one with ‘major improvement necessary’ in May 2025.