SHOCKING PICTURES: Takeaway fined £10,000 for hygiene offences

Seavan Fried Chicken and Pizza House, in Fratton Road, Portsmouth, had been visited by hygiene officers in 2013 and 2014 and given advice.

But a Portsmouth City Council environmental health officer discovered a raft of problems, including rat droppings, in February, prompting criminal charges.

Binai Ali, 34, admitted 10 charges himself and on behalf of the firm running the takeaway, Seavan Ltd, registered in Elm Grove, Southsea.

Prosecutor Jenny Ager told the court during the inspection a sample of doner meat was sent off to be examined.

The meat was advertised as lamb doner, but was actually 33-per-cent beef and 0.9-per-cent chicken.

‘In the officer’s opinion customers expecting lamb doner kebab were actually being misled,’ said Ms Ager.

She added: ‘It actually showed the product contained chicken and beef, the amount of beef, 33 per cent, was indicative of deliberate inclusion and the 0.9 per cent chicken contamination through poor hygiene process.’

Ali told the officer he does not read the label on the meat, which did show it contained beef as well as lamb.

Ms Ager added: ‘The officer found there was very poor cleanliness and repair of the shop. There was a significant accumulation of dirt, debris and grease. The toilet floor was greasy.’

Rat droppings were found in the cellar store room, there was no hand soap in sinks and stairs were damaged, the court heard.

Chicken was also kept at the wrong temperature, risking bacteria growing.

Sentencing, magistrate Steve Waller said: ‘These are serious offences.’

He fined the firm £10,000 with a £100 victim charge.

Ali was fined £1,300 with £20 charge and £1,176.31 costs.

The company is still trading but Ali no longer runs the shop, the court heard.

Hugh Fairley, for Ali, said: ‘He was having a very difficult time in the takeaway business and the difficulties with his business were compounded by a raft of personal and family problems,’

Binai Ali, 34, of Nancy Road, Fratton, admitted nine counts under the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations.

Those related to kitchen structure, food and hand contact surfaces and food storage not being maintained, inadequate materials for hand washing, premises not offering protection against pest ingress, fridges and freezers not being effectively cleaned, inadequate provision for the storage and disposal of food waste, raw materials and other ingredients not being kept in appropriate conditions, food handlers were not being supervised in food hygiene, the business had not implemented and maintained an effective food safety management system, and it was keeping food below the required temperature.

Ali and the firm also admitted selling food, the doner kebabs, to the purchaser’s prejudice, which were not of the nature demanded.