An Indian restaurant was shut down by environmental officers after being deemed ‘an enormous risk to public health’.
The Jewel Balti restaurant, in Chepstow Road, Newport, Wales, was found infested with cockroaches and rats, and a pile of decomposing maggots was on the floor.
Cardiff Crown Court heard how an investigation into the restaurant was launched in January 2022 following a complaint.
When environmental officers attended the restaurant, former director Aktar Miah asked whether he could refuse them entry.
After having to let them in, he told officers the ‘kitchen needed to be cleaned’ – but officers discovered a far worse problem at the property.
Prosecutor Tom Roberts told the court yesterday: ‘There was an active and longstanding infestation of cockroaches and rats. It was obvious and could not have been missed by the defendants.
‘There were a number of infestations but they continued to operate and serve food to the public providing an enormous risk to public health.’
Raw meat was being kept in dirty containers, and was at times uncovered and stored outside.
The walls and floors were covered in dirt and grime, and rat fur, rat droppings and trays of foul-smelling water were lying around.
When officers sprayed the floor, a ‘swarm of cockroaches’ descended to the area.
Miah was told the business could not remain open and he agreed to voluntarily close the restaurant.
He was then served several notices which he failed to comply with.
Brothers Aktar Miah, 37, and Afzal Miah, 28, ran the restaurant as directors of company Desi Kitchen.
Alongside the firm, the pair admitted 15 counts of contravening/failing to comply with specified community provisions.
Aktar Miah, of Milton Road in Newport, and Desi Kitchen also pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to comply with a hygiene improvement notice.
Mitigating, Tarriq Saddique said Aktar Miah fully accepted responsibility for the state of the kitchen, adding no one had been affected by consumption of the food.
He said the defendant’s income stems from the restaurant and a chip shop, and if a prohibition order were put in place it would severely affect his family.
Afzal Miah, of Clevedon Road in Newport and who was representing himself, said he served as a carer for his elderly mum and is looking for work.
Sentencing, Judge Shoman Khan said: ‘You are to be sentenced for frankly appalling food hygiene… Having looked at the photographs it’s difficult to imagine a more concerning set of affairs.
‘Just listening to those descriptions are just concerning and the fact this restaurant traded in these conditions is appalling.
‘There was a mass of decomposing maggots found by officers amongst which were live cockroaches.
‘There was clearly a lengthy period of cockroach infestation, rats and rat droppings, rats heard scurrying in the kitchen walls… What struck me when hearing the facts was people were willing to work in these conditions.
‘I find that astonishing – let alone the fact that you were prepared to serve customers in those appalling filthy conditions.’
Aktar Miah was sentenced to 12 months in jail suspended for 18 months. Afzal Miah was also given a suspended sentence but for 10 months, and was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and to pay £1,400 in court costs.
Desi Kitchen was fined £14,000.
Aktar Miah’s wife has now taken over the running of the restaurant, where ‘significant improvements’ have been made and it remains open.
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