A TAKEAWAY owner from Cwmbran was fined more than £9,000 after he pleaded guilty to a number of food hygiene offences at Cwmbran Magistrates' Court.

Ru Shou Chen, of Fairwater Square, appeared in court on June 6 and pleaded guilty to eight offences dating between July 14, 2015 and January 21, 2016, following an investigation by Torfaen council’s environmental health team.

The owner of Ming’s Chinese Kitchen, he was prosecuted for five counts of contravening or failing to comply with specified community provision regarding food hygiene in Wales.

The other charges related to knowingly contravening a hygiene emergency prohibition notice made under Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006, intentionally obstructing a person acting in the execution of the Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations and failing to display a valid food hygiene rating sticker in the location and manner prescribed.

The court heard how Mr Chen illegally opened his takeaway to customers after environmental health had closed the premises on health grounds.

Councillor Gwyneira Clark, Torfaen council’s executive member for housing, planning and public protection, said after the case: “It is clear that the owner of Ming’s Kitchen put profit before the safety of his customers.

“He deliberately removed a notice of closure and a food hygiene rating sticker which was required to be on public display to warn customers of the conditions at the premises.”

Some of the offences specifically related to failing to equipment clean and in good repair, operating without running hot water for hand washing or to clean utensils and equipment.

“This is something that we simply will not tolerate,” added cllr Clark.

“Our environmental health team regularly inspect all food businesses across the borough and we will not hesitate to prosecute any that are found to be putting our residents at risk.”

Mr Chen was made to pay a total of £9,190.18, including a £1,000 fine for each offence committed, a £120 victim surcharge, and costs to the council of £1,070.18.

On its most recent inspection on January 21, 2016, Ming’s Chinese Kitchen received a food hygiene rating of one from the Food Standards Agency.