Personal Injury Solicitors

The director of an Indian restaurant has been disqualified as a director for six years, after failing to account to HMRC and breaching food and hygiene regulations.

Mohammed Koysor Ahmed, 41, was the director of Sonargaon Indian Cuisine Limited in east London, which went into liquidation on 24 April 2014 owing £303,132 to creditors.

Following a visit from HMRC Officers on 10 September 2013, it was determined that Sonargaon had failed to accurately report wages paid to its employees.

HMRC requested further information from the company, but none was supplied and in its absence, HMRC calculated under-declared PAYE/NIC of £101,405.49. An additional penalty of £67,434 was levied due to the deliberate under-declaration.

Mr Ahmed additionally failed to ensure that Sonargaon Indian Cuisine Limited complied with European Community food and hygiene regulations on two occasions.

At a visit by Food Hygiene Officers on 11 October 2011, it was determined that Sonargaon had contravened six regulations which put its customers at risk of food poisoning.

Mr Ahmed pleaded guilty to this violation at court and the company was fined £3,655.

A further visit was conducted on 25 May 2012, at which five further contraventions of the same regulations were found.

On 20 August 2012, Sonargaon was found guilty of these and fined £30,000 plus costs of £3315.

Only £1,750 was paid toward these fines and HM Courts service submitted a claim in the liquidation of £35,220 for the remaining amount.

Chief Examiner for Insolvent Investigations South at the Insolvency Service, Mark Bruce, said:

“This director sought an unfair advantage over their competitors by not declaring accurately its liabilities due to HMRC – and by cutting corners with its hygiene and food safety practices.

The Insolvency Service rigorously investigates directors who breach legislation – particularly where customers’ health is put at risk – and this ban should act as a warning to other employers who are flouting the law.”

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – No win no fee Food Poisoning Claims

Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise those who have suffered symptoms of food poisoning caused by negligence on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation, including claims relating to holiday illness and food hygiene breaches in restaurants.

Duncan Lewis regularly advises on claims involving:

• Amoebic dysentery
• Campylobacter
• Cryptosporidiosis
• E.coli
• Giardiosis
• Listeria
• Norovirus
• Salmonella
• Shigella sonnei.