Ex-takeaway owner fined after dead mouse found on premises

A Stretford takeaway owner has been fined after a dead mouse was found on its premises.

Mohammed Saffdar Chaudhary, the former owner of Planet Spice, 876 Chester Road, Stretford, was prosecuted on Thursday 15 August, for offences in March and June 2018.

Planet Spice is now under new ownership.

Environmental Health Officers visited the takeaway on 8 March 2018, to undertake a routine food hygiene inspection. They found that the premises was dirty and had a mouse infestation.

Mouse droppings were found throughout the premises and near to food wrapping and delivery bags. A dead mouse was found beneath a refrigerated display unit. Officers also found dirty equipment such as kebab skewers and food containers in the refrigerators and a mouldy chopping board.

The officers immediately closed the business due to the risk presented to public health and it was given a food hygiene rating of zero. A number of visits were undertaken before the business was allowed to re-open.

During a further revisit in June 2018, officers again found dirty conditions within the premises and dirty food contact equipment. At this time, food handlers still had not received the appropriate food hygiene training.

At Manchester Magistrates Court, Mr Chaudhary pleaded guilty to seven food hygiene offences. These include failure to have adequate procedures in place to control pests, not maintaining the premises and equipment in a clean condition, failing to train food handlers and not having an adequate management system in place to control food safety risks.

Mr Chaudhary received a fine of £2,100 in total. He was ordered to pay costs of £2869.98 to the Council and a £120 victim surcharge.

Cllr Mike Freeman, Trafford Council’s Executive member for Public Safety, Governance and Reform, said:

What our officers found in the takeaway was absolutely shocking.

Our residents deserve to know that the takeaways they use have high standards of hygiene. Prosecuting those who fail to meet those standards sends a message to shoddy owners and shows that we take this matter very seriously.”

Posted on Tuesday 20th August 2019