Takeaway 'infested with beetles'
takeaway in the Black Country was infested with cockroaches and beetles shortly after the owner completed a course entitled "safer food, better business," a court was told.
A takeaway in the Black Country was infested with cockroaches and beetles shortly after the owner completed a course entitled "safer food, better business," a court was told.
Ghalum Rasul had been warned about poor hygiene at the King Fish Kebab House he has run for 12 years in Birmingham Road, Oldbury, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. A spot check in November last year found cockroaches where food was prepared and beetles in another part of the takeaway.
Environmental health officials also unearthed literature from the safer food seminar Rasul had just attended and details of the free coaching he had been given on the subject.
The kebab house was voluntarily closed for five days until hygiene 6improved but 31-year-old Rasul, of Sabell Road, Smethwick, had to be warned again when more problems were identified during a follow-up visit.
Prosecutor Jonathan Challinor said: "Since February his dealings with environmental health officers have followed the same pattern, with intervention bringing improvement in the cleanliness of the premises that then returns to its bad old ways and so the process goes on."
Gary Cook, defending, said Rasul accepted standards had fallen well below what they should have been.
"He fully recognises action had to be taken," continued Mr Cook. "Plainly, over the years he has not installed proper standards of cleanliness but it is heartening to read later inspections have found them much improved."
Rasul pleaded guilty yesterday to three hygiene offences resulting from checks by inspectors.
They involved failing to ensure the takeaway was kept clean and properly maintained, failing to ensure equipment that came into contact with food was clean and disinfected, and failing to control pests.
He was fined a total of £3,000 with £2,000 costs and faces three months in prison if the debt is not paid off at a rate of £100-a-week.
Judge John Wait told him: "There have been regular concerns about the standards of cleanliness and you have had many reminders because proper cleaning was not taking place for weeks."