THE owner of a restaurant that was so filthy a food safety officer said it was one of the worst cases he has seen in more than 20 years has been jailed.

Alomigir Qureshi, 47, was also sentenced for employing an illegal immigrant at his Chai Wallah restaurant on Yarm High Street and for breaching a suspended sentence he received in 2013 - also for employing failed asylum seekers.

Qureshi, of Brisbane Grove, Hartburn, Stockton was jailed for a total of 21 months at Teesside Crown Court earlier today (Friday, January 29).

Richard Bennett, prosecuting for both the Crown and Stockton Borough Council, told the court that the council's food safety officers were tipped off by a member of the public who had been served chicken which was raw in the middle and another person who was concerned that the chef's clothing "appeared filthy".

Inspectors found dirty tea towels thrown over eggs and dough as well as dirty food preparation and storage areas, shelves and pipework. Mr Bennett said: "In the opinion of the inspectors there was a total disregard for food safety and no evidence of any good hygiene practice."

The prosecuting barrister went on to explain that during a series of interviews it emerged that Qureshi had employed an illegal immigrant. The Home Office was informed. Qureshi had previously been given a nine-month suspended sentence imposed in August 2013 for employing illegal immigrants at Cafe Indigo on Castlegate Quay, Stockton and was now in breach of that sentence.

Julian Gaskin, defending, said Qureshi apologised to his customers and had immediately closed his restaurant for deep-cleaning and was allowed to reopen. His family had been abused following bad publicity. He had not directly employed the illegal immigrant but had given him some work as a fellow-Bangladeshi who he felt sorry for.

Mr Gaskin said: "At its height Mr Qureshi and his family had five, family-run restaurants but on the back of the recession he experienced financial difficulties. The Chai Wallah was the last restaurant but that has now closed.

"Everything he and his family had worked for had come crashing down. He had significant financial and domestic difficulties. He accepts he was not concentrating on the business as he should. He is an individual who clearly can achieve good things and employ people."

Passing sentence, Recorder of Teesside Crown Court, Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, said: "You failed in every aspect (of food hygiene). The inspector said it was one of the worst cases he had seen. Having seen the photographs I can only agree."

Qureshi was sentenced to three months for each of eight food hygiene charges, to be served concurrently. He was also sentenced to 12 months for knowingly employing an illegal immigrant and six months for breaching his suspended sentence for previously employing three asylum seekers with no permission to work.

Speaking after sentence was passed, Stockton Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety, Cllr Steve Nelson, said: “Mr Qureshi has shown complete disregard for food safety and consumer safety. He was responsible for ensuring that good hygiene practices were followed and that food was stored and prepared safely. He did not do so and as a result put his customers at significant risk.

“The court has clearly taken this very seriously and this is reflected in the sentence handed down.”