Mr Ali was also handed a suspended six-month prison sentence and ordered to pay £3,500 in costs and undergo 100 hours of unpaid community service.
United Foods (S.Wales) Ltd was also handed a £6,000 fine, ordered to pay £4,500 in costs and surcharges, and indefinitely prohibited from operating a food business.
Summing up the case in court, the judge had due regard to the significant findings of the council’s environmental health officers, in particular an active rodent infestation
The judge said Mr Ali had a “flagrant disregard for the law” and had “very high levels of culpability.”
He said that safety should be put before profit and called Mr Ali’s actions unconscionable and unforgivable.”
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.
Despite this, he was found to still be operating, resulting in a hygiene emergency prohibition notice formally closing the business.
After briefly meeting standards to reopen, an inspection in November 2023 revealed further rodent issues and mice activity at the premises, leading to a second prohibition notice.
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.
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.
“Today’s sentence shows how seriously the council takes this issue, and how the courts, public and other businesses view those who repeatedly breach laws designed to keep us all safe.
“I’m pleased that our action has led to this outcome, and that the crown court recognised the severity of the offences committed.
“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.”
