Woodlands Happy House Chinese takeaway boss avoids jail term but is BANNED from running food businesses

YI Guo Lin, also known as Jimmy Lin, of Happy House on Great North Road, Woodlands, was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years after admitting seven food hygiene offences at Sheffield Crown Court.

The court heard officers from the council’s environmental health team visited the business in April 2018 to investigate a customer complaint about the quality of food.

The officers found the business in a filthy state. They said equipment was ‘grubby and damaged’, there were ‘inadequate hand wash facilities, work surfaces dirty and not sanitised’ and the business had failed to keep adequate documentation in relation to food safety.

The officers also found serious issues with food handling and cross contamination which ‘posed a serious risk to public health’.

Despite numerous visits and guidance given to Lin, the court hear the defendant ignored advice on how to turn the problems around. On each occasion, issues were still identified with cleaning and poor food handling.

Months later, the court heard 20 environmental swabs were taken to assess cleanliness and all came back ‘unsatisfactory’ described as ‘appalling results’

Lin pleaded guilty to seven food hygiene offences and officers applied for a Hygiene Prohibition Order to prevent Lin managing a food business.

The business is now under new management.

Coun Chris McGuinness, cabinet member for communities, voluntary sector and the environment, said: “The owners of food businesses have a legal duty to keep their shops hygienic and we take strong action where they fail to do so.

“Mr Lin failed to take heed of our advice, carrying on with no regard to his customer’s health. We were left with no option but to prosecute him and prevent him from running a food business for the foreseeable future.

“The public can be reassured that we have a zero tolerance approach to any owner of a food business who puts public health at risk.”