Fine for takeaway owner who ignored cockroaches

A fish and chip shop owner with a cockroach infestation remained open and served food to customers because he was not prepared to spend enough money to get rid of the pest, Hastings District Court heard.
Last year health officers inspecting Frimley Fish Supply in Hastings found cockroaches crawling along walls, floors and even over wet fish ready to be cooked and served.
The revelations about hygiene at the shop on Frimley Rd in Hastings came after owner Kong You Ye, 56, pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of preparing unsafe food.
Hastings District Council lawyer Rebecca Blunden said in October 2008 a council environmental health officer inspected the business and noted a "number of concerns" regarding the cleanliness.
On December 4 a member of the public complained about a cockroach infestation at the business and it was closed down.
On January 16 this year another complaint was received and a health protection officer from the Hawke's Bay District Health Board went along with a council officer to inspect.
"Live cockroaches and flies were noted crawling along walls, the floor, bench surfaces, and onto shelving and food containers. Cockroaches were seen crawling onto wet fish which had been left uncovered on the kitchen bench ready for cooking and sale."
Mr Ye, who was working in the shop at the time, was told to get rid of the food.
Three days later the officers returned and again found the shop was not up to hygiene standards.
They ordered Mr Ye to close the shop and while going through the process a customer returned to complain about a hair in a meal purchased at the store.
The meal was also not cooked properly.
Mr Ye was told he could not reopen the premises until he proved the shop was clean. The notice to close was lifted on February 9 this year after the store was cleaned and it remains open.
Defence lawyer Tony Taunt said Ye had taken full responsibility for the health code infractions.
He had engaged three different companies to eradicate the cockroaches and had closed his store voluntarily in October.
An earlier newspaper story had resulted in a "significant decline" in business.
Regarding the hair found in a customer's meal, that customer had been fully reimbursed and Ye had apologised, Mr Taunt said.
Judge Geoff Rea rejected Ye's explanation stating he "clearly knew they had a cockroach problem". But to bring the store up to the correct standard of cleanliness and get rid of the cockroach problem "depended entirely on how much money he was prepared to spend".
Mr Ye was not prepared to pay the "necessary cost" to get rid of the cockroaches and it was a serious breach of hygiene standards.
He fined Ye $2250 and also ordered him to pay $130 court costs and $350 legal fees.