Mr Tassaduk Ali and United Foods (S.Wales) Ltd pleaded guilty to the charges at a hearing yesterday at Cwmbran Magistrates Court.
The offences span August to December 2023 and relate to unhygienic food practices at United Foods on Jeffrey Street, Newport and an associated storage warehouse on Marlborough Road, Newport.
Upon inspection of the shop at Jeffrey Street in August 2023, officers from the council’s environmental health team found evidence of:
- Dead mice and mice droppings found within the food premises
- Gnawed and contaminated food
- Deficient structure
- Inadequate pest control procedures
- Poor pest proofing
The council served the business with improvement notices, and Mr Ali agreed to voluntarily close the premises.
However, he was found to be operating while having agreed to close the business voluntarily. As a result, the council served a hygiene emergency prohibition notice on United Foods, formally closing the business. The business and Mr Ali then briefly met the standard to reopen.
However, on inspection in November 2023, further rodent issues and mouse activity were identified at the premises, which included gnawed and contaminated food, mouse droppings and three dead mice.
A second hygiene emergency prohibition notice was served closing the premises for a second time.
A warrant was executed by council officers on 21 December 2023 to enter a warehouse on Marlborough Road. Upon inspection of the warehouse, officers found evidence of:
- Significant and widespread infestation of rats which included, rat droppings, rat urine puddles on the floor, fur and paw marks on equipment and food.
- Numerous gnawed food items stored in the warehouse that supplied the main shop
- Deficient structure
A hygiene emergency prohibition notice was served upon the food business operator to prevent the use of the warehouse for storage of food.
Due to the serious nature of the offences, the defendants were referred to Newport Crown Court by the magistrates for sentencing, which will take place next month.
Councillor Saeed Adan, cabinet member for housing and planning, said: “The council has a duty of care to protect residents and visitors from the sort of conditions that were found in United Foods and the associated premises.
“We will always work with businesses who want to make improvements to their hygiene ratings, but we will act against those who repeatedly show poor, and in this case dangerous, food hygiene management.
“I’m pleased that our enforcement action has led to the guilty pleas, and that the magistrates court recognised the severity of the offences committed.”
