Pictures show filthy conditions inside rat-infested takeaway as owner is fined

Environmental Health officers from Middlesbrough Council visited Dhesi Grill in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough in March and immediately closed it down.

The officers had found evidence of a widespread rat and mouse infestation, poor standards of cleanliness and other serious breaches of food hygiene rules.

Examples of the filthy conditions found at the takeaway

Owner Adnan Mahmood Qazi was served with a prohibition notice requiring him to close the takeaway down immediately and he was not allowed to open the premises until environmental health was satisfied that effective pest treatment had been carried out, and a thorough clean and disinfection.

The takeaway remained closed for six days.

Mr Qazi pleaded guilty to four food hygiene offences at Teesside Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday, October 6) - failing to ensure adequate procedures in place to control pests, failing to keep the premises clean, failing to keep food equipment clean and disinfected and failing to put procedures in place to protect foods from risk of contamination.

He was fined £800 and ordered to pay £442 in costs plus a £20 victim surcharge.

Councillor Julia Rostron, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: “Consumers eating out in Middlesbrough expect their food to be prepared under safe and hygienic conditions.

“Ninety six per cent of food businesses inspected by the council’s environmental health officers achieve a hygiene rating of three, four or five in recognition of good hygiene standards.

“The conditions found in the Dhesi Grill takeaway were unacceptable and required prompt enforcement action.

“Environmental health officers work closely with food businesses to ensure good standards of food safety and consumer protection is maintained.

“However, where consumer safety is compromised appropriate enforcement action must be taken.”

No-one at Dhesi Grill could be contacted for comment.