By Deborah Hardiman
Copyright expressandstar
Jay Indian House Ltd, the company operating Jay Indian House based in Hagley Road in Oldswinford, has been fined £10,000 following a prosecution brought by Dudley Council for multiple food safety offences.
Its director Jahaingir Hussain was also fined £1,600 and £3,836 costs, with a 16-day custodial sentence in default of non-payment of the fine. The restaurant has since closed its doors.
The company and director pleaded guilty at Dudley Magistrates’ Court on April 16 and the case was committed to the crown court for sentence.
The case was heard at Wolverhampton Crown Court on September 11.
During the inspection visit on July 19, 2023 officers discovered a rat in the ground-floor food storeroom. Rat droppings were found in both the ground-floor and first-floor food storerooms. There was a large accumulation of waste in the rear yard, pest proofing was inadequate, and the food safety management system was not being properly implemented.
Due to the immediate risk to public health, the council exercised emergency powers under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 for a temporary closure order at that stage.
The business was subsequently allowed to reopen after officers confirmed that all necessary cleaning and pest control measures had been completed and that there was no evidence of ongoing pest activity.
Councillor Phil Atkins, Dudley’s cabinet member for development and regulation, said: “This case highlights the serious consequences of failing to meet basic food hygiene standards. The presence of a rat in a food storage area is completely unacceptable and posed a significant risk to public health.
“Our environmental health officers acted swiftly and decisively to protect the public, and I commend their professionalism. We will always take firm action against businesses that disregard their legal responsibilities and put people at risk and our legal team presented a strong case at court leading to this level of sentencing.
“I hope this serves as a clear reminder to all food businesses that maintaining high standards of cleanliness and pest control is not optional – it’s the law.”
The company and director must also pay a victims’ surcharge.
