A food trader in Walsall has been prosecuted by Walsall Council Trading Standards and fined for breaking food safety laws. Soran Jalal Mohammed owner of ‘Warszawa convenience store’ in Caldmore Green admitted displaying food in shop chillers and baskets that was significantly past its ‘use by date’ at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court last week. He pleaded guilty to fourteen separate food safety offences and was fined a total of £2233 including court costs – with two of his most serious breaches receiving a £700 fine each.
The long catalogue of offences heard in court were discovered on 6 November 2018, as part of a routine inspection by Walsall Council. The Court heard that the items seized had posed a serious risk of food poisoning to the public and in a couple of cases the food was over a month out of date. Trading Standards informed the Judge that on the day of the inspection, thirty-four meat items were removed from the ‘Warszawa’ shop. These included Polish smoked sausages, salami, turkey pizza ham, meat loaves and bacon. The ‘use by’ dates on all of the produce was over the expiry date and exceeded the safe limit for consumption by humans by a range of four to thirty three days. The Court was informed that when Council officers visited the shop again on 28 November – and despite the serious nature of their last intervention, another meat product was on display that was six days past its ‘use by date.’ When this was pointed out to the owner, Mr Mohammed accused council officers of ‘planting’ the old meat item in his chiller. Mr Mohammed later confirmed that he had checked his CCTV in the shop and agreed Trading Standards had not planted the meat, but said a customer ‘must have taken one of his food items and later left it in his shop’ – as he did not sell that particular item.
Councillor Garry Perry, portfolio holder for Regulatory Services at Walsall Council said. “This is a good result for the council – despite previous warnings this retailer ignored the law and advice he was given. He has now paid for it. The judgment and his hefty fine should act as a strong deterrent not to cut corners when it comes to food safety, food retailers who ignore this – be warned. We will enforce the law and we will prosecute.”
“I also want it to become law, for all food businesses to display their food hygiene and safety ratings in plain view of the buying public, this includes shops. I am lobbying parliament to make this happen.”
