An Indian restaurant and take-away branded by a judge as a serious health risk to customers has been fined £1,000 for failing to deal with a significant mouse infestation (Photos on Flickr).
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The total penalties awarded against Abdul Samad, operator of The Sarga in Newark Road, North Hykeham, was £3,015. This includes the £1,000 fine for the mouse infestation offence, £250 for a health and safety offence, £1,750 to pay North Kesteven District Council’s costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
North Kesteven District Council brought the prosecution against Mr Samad as part of its clampdown on food hygiene standards to ensure a high level of public health and confidence when eating out or buying takeaways.
Mr Samad pleaded guilty at Lincoln Magistrates Court on January 9, 2013 to 14 food hygiene offences and one relating to a health and safety failure.
They related to a substantial mouse infestation with food items gnawed and others heavily contaminated with droppings and a large hole in the floor giving the rodents access.
There were also problems with poor cleaning throughout the premises including mould growing on chopping boards and in the fridge and freezer, dirty equipment including an extremely dirty tandoori oven, fridge and blood splashed freezer, damaged tiling and flaking paintwork, a chicken defrosting in a bucket and a lack of hygiene training. The health and safety charge related to damaged gas pipes. These were all witnessed by officers during their inspection on October 11 2012.
District Judge John Stobbard heard that since Mr Samad took over the business in 2005, there had been a history of non compliance with food hygiene legislation, with food hygiene notices having been served on him previously.
He said the offences were of a very serious nature, exposing the public who ate at the premises to a significant health risk. However he accepted Mr Samad’s full compliance with improvement notices and guilty plea in mitigation.
At the time of its last food hygiene standards inspection, The Sarga in North Hykeham scored a rating of only one against a standard where five is achieved simply by adhering to food safety legislation.
Cllr Richard Wright, NKDC’s Executive Board Member with responsibility for food hygiene, said: “It is essential that the public has confidence in the quality of all food premises across the District, which is why we are so rigorous in carrying out our inspections.
“We give all our traders continuous support and encouragement to help them improve their businesses and maintain standards, but at the same time we do not hesitate to take enforcement action where circumstances warrant it, as in this case.”
