The two directors of a convenience store in Montpelier will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court in February for a variety of offences.

Jamil Ahmed of Hambrook and Saghir Ahmed of Montpelier, directors of Galliford Stores in Bath Buildings off Picton Street, pleaded guilty to 13 offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (Regulations) Act 2013 at Bristol Magistrates’ Court.

Bristol City Council inspectors first visited the shop in July 2017 following a complaint from a member of the public. Over a period of 16 months, they paid several more visits, with on one occasion 49 items that were past their use-by date removed from sale.

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Ahmed and Ahmed also failed to carry out pest-proofing despite evidence of regular mouse activity, and mouse and rat droppings being found in the shop.

Adequate cleaning of the store was also not carried out, with a number of Hygiene Improvement Notices not been complied with.

Kye Dudd, cabinet member with responsibility for regulatory services, said: “The owners of this business made no steps to manage food safety and protect their customers. They persistently failed to carry out the most basic checks required of food business operators.

“We gave them every opportunity to bring their business up to the required minimum standard, but it is our duty to protect the public from unsafe food sources.”

The pair, now subject to a bail condition prohibiting them from participating in the management of any food business, are due to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on February 14.