Pensnett takeaway former owner fined for significant rodent activity and food safety violations.

Dudley Magistrate's Court was told how there were a large amount of mouse droppings throughout the property with little done to stop mice entering the premises. The premises, equipment and utensils were in filthy and poor condition, with walls, surfaces, equipment and electrics covered in grease. Food was stored in old, dirty, open containers with raw and fresh meat stored side by side. There were pools of dirty water and grease on stove tops and drying racks where chopping boards were stored.

The court was also told how the staff were untrained in hygiene measures and Kiran had been warned less than five months earlier about the condition and cleanliness of the premises where she was awarded a 2 star rating in January 2023. The visit undertaken in April 2023 resulted in the voluntarily closure of the premises due to the conditions found at the time. The premises were in such a poor condition it took 15 subsequent visits for them to satisfy officers that the food business could be reopened. In terms of sentencing guidelines this was described as medium/high culpability and category 2 harm.

Kiran entered guilty pleas to the individual and company offences. She was fined £923 in totality for the offences, ordered to pay £369 victim surcharge and DMBC full costs £1797; total £3089 to be paid in 28 days backed by a collection order.  There was no additional sentence against the company.

Dr Mayada Abuaffan, director of public health at Dudley Council, said:

“These premises were in no condition to be preparing food for human consumption. The risk of harm was high and the owner and staff took little responsibility for even the most basic food hygiene measures.

“Thanks to our environmental health team we were able to intervene and take action to prevent the company from operating and potentially causing significant harm to its customers.”