Bloke knocked up kebabs close to corpse couch

Wolverhampton shop owner quickly out of the fast food business

A Wolverhampton fast food shop owner is out of the kebab business after he was busted preparing the traditional English dish while a corpse lay on a nearby sofa.

Environmental health officers had been keeping an eye on Jaswinder Singh, 45, and his Pappu Sweet Centre since October 2007, the BBC explains. On 27 August, a police officer was dispatched to investigate a report of dead man at the premises.

A statement read to Wolverhampton Magistrates Court explained: "Upon his arrival the officer observed a dead male lying on a sofa at the rear of the main kitchen. Sat opposite to him was Mr Singh who was preparing food, making kebabs."

The court also heard that there were "a large number of flies in the room which were landing on food", an "awful smell", "thawing meat which was oozing blood and covered in flies", and a man "smoking and spitting on the filthy floor".

The fast food outlet was closed immediately. Singh "admitted a string of hygiene offences and was ordered to pay nearly £4,000 in fines and costs".

Wolverhampton council's cabinet member for the environment, councillor Barry Findlay, said: "We are pleased that the council's actions have resulted in the courts banning this individual from ever running a food business again."

In case you're wondering, the BBC has no details on how the corpse came to be on the sofa, but police said the death "had not been found to be suspicious and no further action had been taken over the matter". ®

Beytinote

A council spokesman described the incident as "one of the worst cases environment health officers had come across". We'd rather not hear the details of the worst, thanks very much.