A Dover takeaway owner whose business was shut down after cockroaches were found in his dirty kitchen has been fined after he continued selling food to the public.

Murduck Mohebbi, who runs Papa Pizza, has been ordered to pay a total of £7,754 for serious breaches of food safety legislation.

Dover District Council’s prosecution followed a series of inspections of the Dover High Street premises in 2016.

Unacceptable food hygiene practices and conditions were found, including a cockroach infestation, dirty equipment, utensils and structure, inadequate pest-proofing and out-of-date food.

As a result the business was formally closed by environmental health officers in July 2016, and an order to that effect was obtained from Folkestone Magistrates’ Court, resulting in the premises being closed for eight days while the imminent risk to health was removed.

However, despite being banned from carrying on the business, evidence was obtained by officers that Mr Mohebbi continued to sell food to the public while formally closed because of the health risk.

Mr Mohebbi, 65, pleaded guilty to 20 food hygiene offences, including the offences of contravening a hygiene emergency prohibition notice and hygiene emergency prohibition order.

He was fined £400 for contravening orders by operating his food business while he was forbidden to do so under a formal closure, and fined £775 for hygiene offences, with a £117 victim surcharge and costs of £6,462.

The court also made a prohibition order, which bans Mr Mohebbi from managing a food business with immediate effect, which will remain in force until he successfully applies to court to lift the order.