Judge bans owner of 'filthy' curry house

A judge branded an Indian kitchen "filthy and disgusting" as he banned the owner from restaurant management for five years.

Mojibal Hoque admitted 15 breaches of food safety and hygiene regulations at the Jewel in the Crown in Middlesbrough.

Teesside Crown Court was told there were live maggots in waste bins, evidence of insect infestation and no cleaning system or training relating to personal hygiene and cleanliness of the premises.

Judge Guy Whitburn said: "The kitchen area was absolutely filthy and in a disgusting state. It is essential for anyone in the food trade to adhere to the strictest regime of cleanliness to avoid outbreaks of food-related illnesses."

Hoque, the former controlling partner in the restaurant, had convictions for similar offences at another eaterie in Milton Keynes, and for Trades Description Act breaches at the Jewel in the Crown.

The defence barrister said the 15 offences were more than a year old and standards had improved. Hoque no longer had any direct role in the management, he said, and was in the process of going bankrupt.

The judge gave him a two-year conditional discharge in addition to the management ban.

Later, Middlesbrough's public protection committee chairman Olper Johnson said: "We hope this prosecution will serve as a warning to others in the food trade."