A kebab shop owner has been prosecuted after raw sewage was found on site close to where food was being prepared.

Mustafa Dogdu, who co-runs Ali’s Grill in North Street in Midhurst, pleaded guilty at Worthing Magistrates’ Court and was fined for nine offences while his brother Mehmed was cautioned for two further offences.

The case has been described as one of the worst seen by council staff.

Chichester District Council environmental health officers found a number of serious matters at the takeaway following a routine inspection in January last year.

The shop was found to have no working hot water system for washing equipment or hands, mouldy walls and food preparation surfaces in a state of disrepair.

The takeaway was voluntarily closed by Mr Dogdu following the inspection and allowed to reopen two days later after the drains were unblocked, hot water was provided and other works requiring immediate attention completed.

Sentencing Mustafa Dogdu, District Judge Crabtree told him these were serious offences and it should have been obvious that the premises were significantly below required safe standards.

He said the issues at the shop had posed a real risk to customers.

Mustafa Dogdu was fined a total of £650.  When imposing the fine level Judge Crabtree said that this was to reflect Mr Dogdu’s personal circumstances.  Costs were awarded to the council.

Councillor Eileen Lintill, cabinet member for wellbeing and community services, said: “This is one of the worst cases of neglect of basic food safety standards that the council has seen.

“It is fortunate that environmental health officers visited the premises when they did and that immediate action was taken to protect the public.”

Since the offences came light the council has made 13 visits to the shop to make sure that standards have improved and that the safety of the public has been maintained.