An Indian restaurateur in Scotland has been banned from managing any restaurant after his was found to be operating in "unhygienic conditions" during an unannounced inspection.
Jaipur-born Herman Rodrigues, 47, owned the Suruchi Indian restaurant in Edinburgh, and pleaded guilty to five out of ten charges of failure to comply with the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
Rodrigues appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday and is expected to be fined next month. He migrated to Edinburgh in 1990.
A spokesperson of the Edinburgh City Council said that during the inspection, there was evidence of mouse droppings present in the kitchen, dry store and restaurant areas.
"Parts of the premises and equipment, especially in the kitchen, were found to be in dirty conditions affected by dirt, food debris and grease," he said.
"(Mouse) droppings were particularly evident in the dry store where they were observed to be on a number of wall mounted shelves, and also on the floor and a service trolley.
"It was also in the dry store that a bag of flaked almonds, stored on the shelving, and a bag of flour, stored on the service trolley, appeared to have been gnawed open by mice," the spokesperson said.
Rodrigues pleaded guilty to failing to ensure food was protected against contamination, failing to ensure adequate procedures were in place to control pests and failing to ensure those responsible for hygiene were adequately trained.
Rodrigues pleaded guilty to failing to ensure food was protected against contamination, failing to ensure adequate procedures were in place to control pests and failing to ensure those responsible for hygiene were adequately trained.
The only option for Rodrigues is to apply to the court to have the ban lifted, although no application are considered within six months of the order being made.