Stafford Borough Council has welcomed a court decision to ban the owner of a takeaway from running a food business.
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Magistrates in Stafford today (Wednesday 29 August) imposed a food hygiene prohibition order on 36 year old Nural Rashid who runs the Akash takeaway in the town’s Newport Road.
Magistrates chairman, Anthony Higgs said it was their responsibility to ‘protect the public from harm.’
Rashid, of Aldersleigh Drive, Stafford admitted seven offences relating to breaches of food hygiene regulations. The offences included two charges of failing to keep food protected against contamination and failing to keep the premises clean during a period between March and April this year.
He was sentenced to a 12 month community order and told to do 180 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1621.71. The justices were told Rashid had £50,000 debts and was trying to sell his business.
The court was told that on visits to the premises by an environmental health inspector found that raw meat and poultry were being stored next to ready to eat foods such as cheese and yoghurts in a drinks display fridge – a major risk of cross contamination.
Simon Turner, prosecuting on behalf of Stafford Borough Council, said: “You could not effectively wash your hands after handling raw or cooked foods or even after visiting the toilet as there was no soap and the roller towel for drying your hands had run out and the last piece was dirty.”
Mr Turner said the food safety team at the council wanted to help businesses improve and did not routinely ask for prohibition orders, but he continued:
“He has not engaged with the council to improve standards and seems unwilling to do so. He just needed to buy some soap, keep the premises clean and store food safely but he seems unwilling to put in the effort.”
The magistrates also heard:
- Cooked rice was being left out for hours at room temperature
- Rashid claimed to be ‘too busy’ to get soap or clean cloths
- The microwave was not clean – and didn’t appear to have been cleaned for some time
- No food safety checks had been recorded for around 12 months
Joanna Clark, representing Rashid, told the court he had financial difficulties and had to run the business mainly on his own.
“These were not deliberate actions. Everything got on top of him. He has tried to improve the situation,” she said.
Sentencing him, Mr Higgs said: “Food hygiene regulations are in force to protect the public from harm and it is our responsibility to act on their behalf in these matters and we feel it is proper in all the circumstances to impose a food hygiene prohibition order.”
After the case, Councillor Frank Finlay, cabinet member for environment and health, welcomed the court decision to ban Rashid from being involved in a food business.
He said: “Our primary role is to protect the public from becoming ill or worse through poor hygiene practices of food businesses. We do this by inspecting premises and helping our businesses improve their standards.
“If they don’t heed our advice and warnings then we will prosecute and, where necessary, ask the courts to stop a person being involved in running a food business.”
For reports on food businesses in Stafford Borough go to www.ratemyplace.org.uk.
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