Kebab Shop Owner Investigated For 'Vicious Assault' On Hygiene Inspector
Ali Baba Kebabs In Trinity Road was being inspected by food safety officers
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The owner of a fast food takeaway in Trinity Road may face prosecution and has now lost his licence to serve food late at night, after councillors were told he racially abused and then assaulted a food safety inspector.
A hearing of Wandsworth Council’s licensing sub-committee this week was told that Ahmet Ali, who runs Ali Baba Kebabs, had repeatedly subjected a warranted council officer to racial abuse before punching him in the face.
The sudden blow caused bleeding to the officer’s mouth and broke his glasses.
As a result Mr Ali has had his licence to remain open into the early hours of the morning revoked.
Councillors heard that council staff were carrying out a food safety inspection of the takeaway in May of this year. The kebab shop has a poor record on hygiene standards and unsatisfactory compliance with food safety regulations.
During their inspection the officers found that the business still posed a risk to public health. The premises were filthy with evidence of cockroach activity. The electricity supply to the food preparation area at the rear of the restaurant was faulty and an employee was found working in almost complete darkness.
The conditions were so severe that the officers began gathering evidence to determine whether to close the business so that repairs could be carried out, the cockroaches dealt with and the whole premises cleaned.
While one officer was taking photographs, Mr Ali began to repeatedly shout racial abuse at the second officer. A few moments later he punched the officer in the face before fleeing the scene.
The chairman of the licensing sub-committee Cllr Guy Humphries said, “Based on the evidence placed before us, we have revoked the licence for this premises preventing it from offering late night refreshments. There are very clear and well-founded concerns about the licence holder’s suitability to run a late night establishment of this type.
“We heard evidence that this was disgraceful unprovoked attack on a public servant who was merely doing his job and whose only concern was to make sure that local people do not end up getting poisoned or suffering ill-effects from the food sold by this establishment.
“The assault allegation is being investigated by the police and we would certainly urge the prosecuting authorities to take the appropriate action against him.
“We would certainly hope that if there is a prosecution and conviction in this case that the courts treat this incident with the seriousness it deserves.”
September 14, 2018