Sandwell bakery owner admits health breaches after mouse droppings discovery
A Smethwick bakery owner has appeared in court again over a fresh series of hygiene violations.
Mouse droppings were discovered in the food preparation areas of a Smethwick bakery.
Copeland Drummond, aged 72, of Cannock, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court today (March 31), charged with 10 offences relating to health code violations.
The violations took place at Sunrise Bakery, in Woodlands Street, in Smethwick, and included a failure to properly clean the food preparation areas, and rodent droppings being present on food equipment that was in direct contact with food.
It marks the second time that William Herman Ltd and Drummond have appeared in court for food law offences; in July, 2019 both were convicted on two counts of food violations, with the company being fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs.
Appearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, owner of the bakery, Drummond, pleaded guilty to all 10 offences brought against him, as well as 10 offences brought against the company, William Herman Ltd, which owns the bakery.
The offences included failing to prevent pests from infesting a food business premises; failing to ensure floor, wall and ceiling surfaces were maintained; failing to ensure food handlers were supervised, instructed and/or trained; failing to ensure to ensure that those involved in food preparation had received adequate training in line with HACCP ( Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) principles; and a failure to implement a documented food safety management system based on HACCP principles.
During the 2019 proceedings, Drummond, of Girton Road, in Cannock, was also given a 12-month community order and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
During today’s proceedings, the prosecutor for Sandwell Council, Mark Jackson, noted that during a visit by the authority’s environmental health officers on September 19, 2024 droppings were seen on equipment that would be in direct contact with food.
He was remanded on unconditional bail to appear for sentencing at the same court on June 26.