On 4th June 2015, at Leamington Magistrates’ Court, Mr Mohammed Muneer, the owner of Ali’s Curry House at 21 Bath Street, Leamington Spa pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to ensure that adequate procedures were in place to control pests and that the construction of the food premises failed to permit good hygiene practices, including the protection from contamination by pests. Mr Muneer was fined £ 8,000 and full costs of £ 4,971 were awarded to the Warwick District Council.

The court heard that council officers discovered a rat infestation in the premises during an unannounced inspection of Ali’s Curry House on 16th September 2014. Mr Muneer agreed to close the restaurant until the public health risk had been removed.

The court heard that only 10 weeks prior to the inspection in September, Mr Muneer accepted a simple caution for food hygiene offences identified during an inspection in February 2014.

The Chair of Magistrates’ bench told Mr Muneer that his response to addressing the rat infestation was totally inadequate. She noted that even after closing the premises and carrying out remedial works the business is rated as a score of ‘1’ "Major Improvement Required" under the National Food Hygiene Rating.

Councillor Moira-Ann Grainger who is the Portfolio Holder for Health & Community Protection said: "Warwick District Council works with food businesses to encourage high standards and protect the public. We will take enforcement action against businesses that fail to comply with the standards required of them and those who put the public at risk."