Indian takeaway bosses face jail after allergic customer suffered life-threatening reaction

Two men who run an Indian takeaway have been warned they face jail after a customer suffered a near-fatal anaphylactic shock after eating a beef korma. 

The woman alerted staff at the Goa Lounge on Lord Street, Redcar, that she had a serious peanut allergy when she purchased food on August 5, last year. 

After eating the meal, the woman was rushed to hospital for lifesaving treatment. 

Health inspectors later went to the restaurant and made a ‘test purchase’, again alerting staff that they had a peanut allergy. 

When the meal was examined, it was found to have dangerously high levels of peanut protein.  

Mohammed Arif, 50, and Mohammed Azad Hadi, 39, pleaded guilty at Teesside Magistrates’ Court to two charges of failing to comply with EU rules concerning food safety and hygiene.  

Prosecutor Andrew White said: ‘The complainant stressed that she had informed the business that she suffered from a peanut allergy and the business stated that it would provide a peanut-free meal.’

Environmental health officer Ian Hunter went to the restaurant on August 15, ordering the same items as the victim, beef korma, naan bread, onion bhaji and a poppadom  

Mr White said: ‘When he arrived at the premises Mr Hunter again asked for confirmation that the meal was peanut free, that confirmation was given so he paid for the meal.’

Mohammed Azad Hadi, 39, pictured yesterday outside Teesside Magistrates Court, also pleaded guilty to breaching EU safety standards . The court was told that Hadi had ‘no history of breaching food regulations’ 

Environmental Health Officers visited the Goa Lounge takeaway in Redcar in August 2018 shortly after the woman collapsed having suffered anaphylactic shock caused by her peanut allergy. EHO officers ordered the same beef korma meal from the menu, again stressing they had the same allergy. When the food was tested it was found to have a high concentration of peanut protein

Results from tests carried out showed that the beef korma dish contained dangerously high levels of peanut protein for anyone with an allergy.

Further inspection of the premises showed a lack of understanding of allergy issues put down to a ‘lack of training’.

David Dedman, mitigating for Arif from Middlesbrough, argued that ‘his role within the business was significantly less than Mr Hadi’.

Mr Dedman stressed that his client had not taken the order or cooked the food. 

Mr Dedman said the business had a five star food hygiene rating with a tidy kitchen.

He said that ‘the peanut protein has gone into the meal through the herbs and spices that were used’.

He added that Arif, a father of two, has been left with no income as the business has since closed.

The court heard in mitigation for Hadi that he had previously ran the business successfully and that while he knew a customer had fallen ill, he didn’t know this was because of a peanut allergy.

Justices were told Hadi, has ‘no history whatsoever of breaching food regulations’ and he has shown ‘genuine remorse’.

The hearing heard he lost around £40,000 of his life savings when the business closed and he has three young children.

Magistrates decided that the matter was too serious for their sentencing powers and sent the case to the crown court.

The chair of the bench said: ‘We feel that these offences have passed the custody threshold and therefore we are going to send it to the crown court for sentence.’