The Indian-origin director of a food business based in Wolverhampton in central England has been fined more than £7,000. He has been convicted of failing to comply with food hygiene regulations.

Mandeep Singh, director of Sixth Fresh Foods Ltd on Cross Street in Bilston, has pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013. The first violation was that the procedures were not sufficient to control the pests, while the second, failed to protect the food from contamination. The food was not fit for human consumption.

Earlier this month, a court in Wolverhampton fined Mandeep Singh £667 and ordered him to pay full costs and a victim surcharge of £6,638. Wolverhampton Council found that Sixth Fresh Foods Ltd, a national supplier of ready-to-eat foods, was trading in unhygienic conditions within its premises.

An active rat infestation was found by local council environmental health officers during a routine inspection of the premises in April last year. It was also found on inspection that the places where the food was being stored were contaminated with excreta of rats. Inside that a live mouse was also trapped in the trap.

Craig Collingswood, Wolverhampton Council's cabinet member for environment and climate change, said a lack of food hygiene can lead to serious illness, and the owner of this business has knowingly put his customers at risk.

It shows a lack of care and responsibility, he said. I hope other businesses will heed the court's decision in this matter. Our Environmental Health Officers work hard to protect residents and consumers. He said he hoped it (the fine) would send a strong message to food businesses. We take food hygiene very seriously at Wolverhampton.