A Birmingham takeaway boss has been fined after a customer suffered food poisoning and was hospitalised overnight following a meal at his shop.
Court hearing details
Zulfiqar Ali, director of Al-Shazan Ltd on Stratford Road, pleaded guilty to three charges related to food safety and information regulations between May and September 2025. He also admitted three similar charges on behalf of the company at Birmingham Magistrates Court.
The court heard that a customer was hospitalised after eating a chicken burger from the premises.
Hygiene failures uncovered
Environmental health officers discovered serious hygiene failings during inspections. These included meat stored below recommended temperatures and cooked meat placed next to raw meat. Officers also observed raw meat being handled without gloves and noted a lack of proper hand-washing procedures.
Prosecutor Remus Cozma stated: "Despite repeated opportunities to comply, he failed to do so. The failures continued until September 2025. There has been a clear, flagrant disregard of the law."
Defence arguments
The defence argued there was no evidence proving the food from Al-Shazan caused the illness and said the business had employed an independent auditor to address the issues. Sukhdip Randhawa, defending, said: "There is clear evidence that rather than ignoring concerns, the business was proactive in undertaking change."
Food hygiene rating
Al-Shazan currently holds the lowest food hygiene rating of 1 following an inspection in July 2024. The business is awaiting confirmation of a reclassification after recent improvements.
Penalties imposed
Magistrates fined both Ali and the business £1,000 each, with additional surcharges and costs bringing the total penalty to £3,800.
