Taste of China: Owner of Heckmondwike takeaway - where rat droppings and flies were found - sentenced for food hygiene offences

Mr Jian Lin Wang, 53, the food business operator of Taste of China on Market Street, pleaded guilty to food hygiene offences on February 2, 2024, at Kirklees Magistrates Court.

He was ordered by the court to pay £2609.54 in total, including a £1,000 fine, a £400 surcharge and £1,209.54 in costs.

A Kirklees Council spokesperson said that “the premises has a poor history of compliance and Mr Wang had signed a caution previously admitting to similar offences.”

Environmental health officers visited the premises on January 24, 2023 where they found “dirty conditions, which included the structure, floor and surfaces and also equipment.”

Cross contamination issues were also found, with a container of cooked rice touching a box of raw prawns on the sink drainer. A small number of rat droppings were found behind a chest freezer in the cellar and there were a number of dead and live flies in the cellar. Freezers and food packaging were stored in the cellar at the time of the visit, the council said.

When officers carried out a further visit on February 16, cooked food and ready to eat prawn crackers were stored in greasy cardboard boxes.

Previous inspections carried out by inspectors indicated that similar issues had been raised with regard to cleaning, cross contamination and incompletion of a written food safety management system.

The spokesperson added: “Despite repeated efforts from Kirklees health officers to support Mr Wang to make the improvements needed and run his business in line with food safety regulations, records showed a history of non-compliance at the premises dating back to 2018.”

In mitigation Mr Wang sited health reasons.

Coun Aafaq Butt, cabinet member for Culture and Greener Kirklees, said:

“Despite the best efforts of our committed environmental health officers, unfortunately Mr Wang has failed to follow the professional advice given to him and has continued to put the safety of his customers’ health at risk.

“We take a supportive approach to help businesses follow Environment Health regulations across Kirklees, and we are here to help and guide those who want to engage with us.

“I hope that this prosecution serves as a warning to those breaching the law that we will not tolerate health and safety breaches which put our residents at risk.”

Any business owners who need advice or support with food safety or anyone who has concerns about food safety in Kirklees, can email [email protected]