The owner of a “filthy” city centre coffee bar tried to forcibly remove a Bradford Council food hygiene inspector from his premises, a court heard.

Arif Mehmood, 43, threw Julie Smith’s bag out of Smorgasbord Coffee Bar in Rawson Place and tried to march her off the premises during a busy lunch time on September 8 last year.

Mehmood, of Burnsdale, Allerton, Bradford, pleaded guilty to ten offences under Food Hygiene Regulations when he appeared before city magistrates yesterday. He also admitted eight offences on behalf of his business Smorgasbord Limited.

His former business partner Quasam Khan, 43, of Hanover Square, Bradford, pleaded guilty to obstructing a person acting in execution of the Hygiene Regulations, also on September 8.

The court heard Julie Smith had visited the premises in July and found a number of problems including a filthy kitchen and fridges, a leaking pipe in the basement storage area, no hand towels near the sink and a faulty external vent. The business had also failed to properly register with the Council and did not have the correct hazard control procedures in place.

A notice requiring remedial works was issued to Mehmood but when she returned two months later she found nothing had been done. During this visit on September 8, Mehmood became agitated and attempted to grab her by the arm to remove her from the coffee shop.

Upkar Bahia, defending, said Mehmood was struggling to keep his head above water because of the recession and standards began to slip.

When the inspector visited the business on September 8, it was lunch time and Mehmood was busy working. He felt he was being victimised and his emotions got the better of him, causing him to act out of character.

Magistrates were told Mehmood had now put right all the issues raised.

Smorgasbord Ltd was fined £200 for each of the eight offences with £2,500 costs and £15 victim surcharge. Mehmood was ordered to pay a £150 fine for each of the ten offences, £1,218 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

He also received a £50 fine for breaching a 12-month conditional discharge imposed for battery in July last year.

Khan was fined £150 with £200 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

  • Read the full story in Tuesday's T&A