A restaurant was closed down by council inspectors after they found it was infested with cockroaches and mice.

Derin’s Kitchen, which trades from premises in Luton Road, Chatham, was closed on April 22, after inspectors went to court to get an emergency prohibition order to close it immediately.

The premises is also used as another business, Mainland Kitchen, which does outside catering contracts.

Inspectors found both businesses were infested.

Court

It’s not the first time inspectors have discovered vermin and insects at the premises. In July 2011, inspectors found cockroaches, mice and flour filled with droppings and it was shut months after it originally opened.

On that occasion, manager of Mainland Kitchen Ltd, Kudirat Kareem, was taken to court over the matter.

Medway magistrates heard Mrs Kareem, who was 54 at the time, could not afford crucial building works.

The court fined her £511 and made her pay Medway Council £2,500 costs after she pleaded guilty to seven food hygiene charges.

Mrs Kareem, of Hazelhurst Road, Tooting, London, later had the work done and reopened the restaurant, and a follow-up inspection found the infestation was under control.

During the court case, the court was told that Mrs Kareem was confident the council would find no further problems at the premises.

However, last month when inspectors went back they found mice and cockroaches.

Details on the court order also reveal the premises are structurally poor and there is a lack of routine cleaning leaving a build-up of filth.

Inspectors also found mouse droppings on food preparation areas and both adult and infant cockroaches at the site, which suggests the premises had been infested for some time.

Mrs Kareem is still in charge of Mainland Kitchen Ltd and is a business partner in Derin’s Kitchen with another woman, Celia Cumberbatch.

A spokesman for Medway Council said: “An emergency prohibition notice was served on Derin’s Kitchen and Mainland Kitchen Ltd, of Luton, due to an active mice and cockroach infestation.

“This was granted by order of the court and the premises remains closed.

“As this case is still active, we are unable to comment any further on this matter until the conclusion of any legal proceedings.”