Supermarket fined £500,000 after mouse droppings found in food

Shocking footage shows mouse droppings on food at a supermarket which was later fined more than £500,000.

Warley Supermarket, in Smethwick, West Midlands, was prosecuted for pest infestation and dangerous shelving after repeatedly failing to comply with enforcement notices.

The supermarket’s director Mandeep Kaur Mandair and senior manager Raminder Mandair pleaded guilty to offenses under the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013 and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. since 1974.

Senior manager Sukhbir Mandair pleaded not guilty to offenses under the Food Safety Hygiene Regulations and was convicted of all offenses after trial.

The defendants appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court for sentencing on September 13 following a successful prosecution led by Sandwell Council’s environmental health team.

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Warley Supermarket was ordered to pay £60,000 for food safety offenses and £480,000 for health and safety offences, plus costs of £16,191.20, for a total of £556,191.20.

Mandeep Kaur Mandair received eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

She was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, pay costs of £16,191.20 and pay a victim surcharge.

Raminder Mandair was given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years and was also given a six-month electronic ban between 8pm and 6am.

He was ordered to pay costs of £16,191.20 and told to pay a victim surcharge.

Sukhbir Mandair’s sentencing has been postponed and a new date will be set.

Councilor Bob Piper, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “In Sandwell we value our local businesses and we want them to continue to provide high quality services and facilities.

“But shoppers and workers in Sandwell have the right to go about their daily business feeling safe and protected.

“The work of Sandwell’s environmental health team in bringing cases such as this against Warley Supermarkets (UK) Ltd helps to keep us all safe and I would like to commend their efforts to protect us all.”