THE former owner of a Torfaen pub has been slapped with nearly £2,000 in court payments after being prosecuted for food hygiene offences - including selling cheese more than a month out of date.

Former owner of the Castell-y-Bwch pub in Henllys, Deri Rogers, was prosecuted for food hygiene offences dating from 2021.

South Wales Argus:

Rogers appeared before Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court last week and pleaded guilty to all six charges brought against him.

The charges related to:

  • the sale of Roquefort cheese 39 days beyond its use-by date;
  • food exposed to a risk of cross-contamination;
  • failure to implement a hazard control plan;
  • failure to train and supervise food handlers;
  • displaying invalid food hygiene stickers;
  • having dirty premises.

Cllr Mandy Owen, Torfaen Council’s executive member responsible for public protection, said: “Following a complaint from a customer, an initial inspection by environmental health took place in September 2021.

"The team carried out a re-inspection during October to assess some much-needed improvements and to check compliance with food hygiene legislation.

"The follow-up visit found numerous unacceptable risks to public health which sadly required enforcement action.

"Our environmental health team play a vital role in protecting the public by ensuring that when we choose to eat out, we can do safely in premises that do not present a risk to our health.”

Magistrates applied a single fine of £480, reduced to £320 for an early guilty plea, and considered the sale of the cheese 39 days beyond its use-by date as the most serious offence.

The council was awarded full costs of £1597.86, with a further £34 victim surcharge added.

The total payable is therefore £1,951.86.

A new business has since opened in the premises, under completely new ownership.