Boss of rat-infested sweet shop littered with rat droppings ordered to pay £3,000

Abrar Hussain, boss of Hayat Sweet Centre in Walsall, appeared at Dudley Magistrates' Court on Wednesday where he admitted hygiene failings.

The court heard how rat and mouse droppings were found throughout the premises in Caldmore Road, including on the flood near a dough mixer and on food containers in a food preparation room.

Mice droppings were also found on a shelf below a chapatti machine and on the floor underneath a heater. Holes were also found in the roof and wall, allowing rodents to get in.

Such was the state of the venue that the authority obtained a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice Court, forcing it to close temporarily.

Grim photos shows rat droppings by a cooker in the kitchen, greasy smear marks from rat's coat on a wall, dirty food containers and potato preparation room and blue roll - used for cleaning surfaces - that had the rodents had chewed through.

Councillor Garry Perry, deputy leader for resilient communities, said: “I’ve seen some shocking images of food premises in my time, but these are horrendous. Most of us perhaps just think places will be clean and safe and we buy their food products in good faith.

“I learned my lesson the hard way through the serious food poisoning of a family member because of poor food hygiene. Another member of our social group out that night fared even worse and ended up very seriously ill in hospital."

Councillor Parry has called for businesses to publicly display their food hygiene ratings.

“I know I say it again and again, but the food hygiene ratings of premises are in the public domain – just look for them on Google and then filter your search" he added. "If the place has a score of 4 or 5, that’s good. A score of 3 is satisfactory, but frankly anything lower might make you want to vote with your feet.

“If businesses aren’t displaying their food hygiene ratings in their windows, what does that tell us?

“I have recently written to the Food Standards Agency asking that consideration be given to making it mandatory, as it is in Wales, for businesses to display their food hygiene rating.

“As always, I would like to place on record my thanks and appreciation to our environmental health team who work so hard to keep us safe. Thank you also to our legal team who work diligently to get these prosecutions over the line.”

Mr Hussain was fined £1,846 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £738 as well as costs of £675.88. The total cost was £3,259.88.

The business closed completely in October.