Cardiff: Mice, poo and contaminated food at kebab shop

The Andalucia Kebab House on City Road in Cardiff was in an "appalling" condition and infested with rodents

Mice, rodent droppings and raw meat in contact with cooked food were found at a kebab shop which failed to follow food hygiene advice.

Diar Ali, operator at Andalucia Kebab House on City Road, Cardiff, was handed a six-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, on Tuesday.

He must also pay thousands of pounds worth of fines.

Ali, 48, of Westland Close, Cardiff, was found guilty of 23 food hygiene-related offences.

He was previously jailed for eight months in 2013 after an E. coli outbreak at the same premises - then called The Adonis - which affected nine people including a 12-year-old boy.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how rodent droppings were discovered following one of several Shared Regulatory Service (SRS) visits in 2021 and there was evidence of raw meat coming into contact with cooked food.

SRS told Ali he should close to address the issues, but he insisted he could resolve them quickly with a deep clean, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Officers revisited the premises in May 2021 and, while some efforts had been made to improve, more offences were discovered.

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Alexander Greenwood, prosecuting, said on one occasion inspectors witnessed raw chicken juice dripping onto an area where naan bread would be placed and that food was not being refrigerated at correct temperatures.

He added there was "no food safety management on site at all" and the premises "wasn't clean and in a general state of disrepair", with glue having been put on the floor to catch mice.

Mr Greenwood said an employee was seen picking up raw lamb and washing their hands in the wrong basin, while a mouse was spotted running under a Coca-Cola drinks machine.

Visits in September and November 2021 revealed further offences.

Mr Greenwood said there was no evidence of staff training in the Food Standards Agency's Safer Food, Better Business programme.

Rodent droppings and mice were seen at the shop

The business was awarded a one out of five food hygiene rating but, in December 2021, further offences were found.

The business was later given a three food hygiene rating, but has since closed permanently.

Bethan Evans, defending Ali, said the kebab house was owned by a man called Mustafa Said who was only involved with the premises as an interpreter and her client "regrets ever becoming involved in this shop".

She also told the court that Ali engaged with inspectors when they attended the premises and did make some improvements to the kebab shop, such as a new fridge which was purchased to address temperature control issues.

Ms Evans said there was no evidence of illness or harm resulting from these offences and added: "As a result of these convictions, he will have no further involvement in any food premises.

"He wishes to put this behind him."

But Recorder Andrew Hammond said it was clear that the premises had been kept in an "appalling" state and the food hygiene offences created a "real risk" to the health of members of the public.

Surfaces were left unkempt and dirty, the court heard

He said: "Offences of this sort are serious. They create a real risk to the health of unsuspecting members of the public of all ages, some of whom may be vulnerable and the potential for widespread harm from food hygiene offences such as this is significant and obvious."

As well as the suspended sentence, Ali must complete 40 days of rehabilitation activity and pay a £1,000 fine, £128 victim surcharge and £2,000 in prosecution costs.

A food hygiene order was imposed and he is now prohibited from participating in the management of any food business.

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