Muammar Al Khadafi

The former owner of a takeaway in Swindon town centre has been fined £6,000 after inspectors found a catalogue of hygiene offences including food covered with mould and screws/nails stored on a work surface which was used to prepare chicken portions.

Health inspectors carrying out an inspection in January 2010 had found numerous issues at Princetons Grill on Market Street, with mould growing on pizza sauce, cross contamination between raw chicken and other foodstuffs, rotten cheese, and many items of food which were sent for testing were found to be unfit for human consumption.

Former owner Gulstan Mahmood was fined £2,900 at Swindon Magistrates Court, and also ordered to pay £3,087 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

In an interview Mahmood said that he had completed a food hygiene course and had managed a pizza outlet in Oxford, but had employed another person to manage Princetons Grill in Swindon. He said he believed that the employed manager was competent and trained in food hygiene.

Phil Wirth, prosecuting said that these "offences relate to matters affecting public health and safety, failing to comply with requirements of food safety and health and safety regulations, exposing the public to significant health risks" and stated that it was clear Mr Mahmood did not understand food hygiene obligations.

With rotten cheese, mouldering pizza sauce, out of date cream, cross contamination of foodstuffs, and cheese with more green belt on it than some parts of England have left after housing developments, significant health risks is a bit of an understatement.

Between illegal workers and hygiene problems it's something worth thinking about next time you fancy a takeout from so many of these fast food outlets that are springing up everywhere on our high streets.

You want fries with that?