Food Safety

The proprietor of the cake shop initially contested three charges that were brought against him following an inspection by Elmbridge Borough Council Environmental Health Officers on 20 May 2009.

At a hearing last year the owner, who was in receipt of legal aid, elected to have the case heard by a judge and jury at Guildford Crown Court, rather than at a magistrates court.

But in April this year he changed his plea to guilty and was sentenced on 6 May. Fines included £750 for failing to put in place an adequate food safety management system, £1,250 for failing to keep his premises clean and maintained in good repair and £1,500 for failing to protect food from the risk of contamination.

Costs of £5,000 were also awarded to the council. The owner was given three months to pay the fines and costs or be committed to prison for two months.

The head of environmental health and licensing at the council said: ‘The conditions that officers found in this case were easily avoidable and despite having been warned, the proprietor continued to break the law with poor standards of hygiene.

‘This has been an unusually protracted case, but demonstrates the council's unwavering commitment to taking appropriate enforcement action when food business proprietors fail to take the necessary steps to ensure that consumers are protected.’