St Helens restaurant owner pleads guilty to 26 food safety offences

A St Helens restaurant owner has pleaded guilty to 26 food safety offences and admitted to not keeping his kitchen clean following food hygiene inspections by council Environmental Health officers.

Jeffrey Wood of Duke’s Bistro, Duke Street, was sentenced to a Community Penalty Order which involves him doing 150 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay £250 towards costs.
 
Appearing at St.Helens Magistrates' Court, Wood, who lives in Duke Street, admitted failing to keep the kitchen clean, having foods unfit for human consumption, storing foods where they could be contaminated, stocking  foods past their ‘use by date’ and failing to have a food safety management system in place.

Environmental Health Officers gave Wood advice and guidance on how to improve, but  they were so seriously concerned about the standards found during the inspection that they felt they had no choice other than to prosecute.

Wood was also given a Prohibition Order, which prevents him from managing a food business again. This is the second time the business has been prosecuted by the Council for food hygiene offences, the first being in January 2005. The restaurant closed in March.

Councillor Carole Kavanagh, St Helens Council’s Executive Member for Environmental Protection, said:  "It is never good to see a local business being prosecuted, but we hope this case provides an example to others that breaches in regulations, particularly when they put the health and well being of others at risk, will not be tolerated in the Borough.”