The owner of a restaurant in Wantage has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting numerous food safety and hygiene breaches.

Masum Miah, owner of Masooms, based in Wallingford Street, Wantage, received a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years in connection with the food safety and hygiene breaches on Friday, November 17 at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, required to be completed within 12 months. 

He was also ordered to pay £4,059 costs a victim surcharge of £154.

Miah, 41, had pleaded guilty last month to 10 charges under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations at the restaurant during 2022, which won a national Euro Asia Curry award in 2018.

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During a series of inspections between August 16 and November 14, 2022, officers from Vale of White Horse District Council found repeated evidence of a rat infestation.

Pictures shown to Oxford Magistrates’ Court and subsequently released to the press by the district council showed the rodent excrement on top of what appeared to be a takeaway food box.

Food was also uncovered and not protected from potential contamination, dirty and damaged equipment was found in the kitchen, there was no hot water at the hand washing basin, nor for cleaning equipment, and there was no system in place to ensure safe food management.

Due to the imminent risk such conditions posed to public health, Miah was twice required to close the premises during the inspection period. 

During one of the closures, the premises were then found to be open.

Oxford Mail:

Miah had a history of poor food safety compliance at the Wantage premises. 

Following the breaches in 2022, to ensure that a food management system would be put in place before the premises could reopen, officers issued Miah with a Hygiene Improvement Notice.

Improvements were subsequently made at Masooms and, in December 2022, the restaurant was awarded a Food Hygiene Rating of three out of five (“generally satisfactory”).

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In court, District Judge Rana agreed that Miah had been highly culpable for offences found at Masooms and had adopted a blasé attitude to the situation, saying he had failed to take any responsibility for the conditions at the time and instead blamed others for the situation. 

Oxford Mail:

Mark Coleman, cabinet member for environmental services and waste at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “The number one priority for all food businesses is to ensure that that their food is safe to eat and that their premises meet all hygiene requirements. 

"Any business that fails to do this puts the public at risk and we will not hesitate to take immediate and serious action against them.”