South Yorkshire takeaway owner fined after evidence of rats found

Faisal Syed, 50, pleaded guilty to three offences dating from January 2020

at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court on March 24, 2021

He was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £861 in the costs for the investigation and prosecution. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £181. The total amount payable is £3,042.

The charges followed a routine food hygiene inspection at Planet Pizza, 18 Main Street, Rotherham, on January 29 2020 by Environmental Health Officers.

Officers found the premises to be in “poor structural condition” and “requiring pest proofing”.

They also discovered evidence of the presence of rats, which they said “presented an imminent risk to health”.

A hygiene emergency prohibition notice was served on Syed, ordering him to immediately close the takeaway.

A hearing at Sheffield Magistrates Court on February 6 2020 confirmed the hygiene emergency prohibition notice and agreed with the actions of the Environmental Health Officers to immediately close the premises.

Tom Smith, Rotherham Council’s assistant director of community safety and street scene, said: “The hygiene standards at Planet Pizza fell well below what the public should expect.

“Food business operators have a legal duty to keep their premises to a high standard of cleanliness – and as in this case, we will not hesitate to take swift and decisive action against any failure to do so.”