Pontypool: Rotting meat at takeaway which turned fridges off

The owner of a takeaway which turned its generators off overnight leaving food to rot has been given a community order.

Chicken, beef and prawns were being kept at unsafe temperatures at the Happy Wok Chinese takeaway in Pontypool, Cardiff Magistrates Court heard.

Xianlan Cao was given a 12-month order requiring 100 hours of unpaid work.

She was found guilty of three food hygiene charges at trial.

The court heard the Happy Wok was using petrol generators after its electricity supply got cut off.

But the operators switched them off overnight so as to not disturb the neighbours.

Environmental health officers went to the takeaway on Osborne Road in July 2021 and found rotten food in fridges and freezers.

Torfaen council said the takeaway did not reopen and another business, not connected to Ms Cao, has since moved into the premises.

Ms Cao, director of HW Gwent Limited, was also ordered to pay £2,000 towards the council's costs.

"This business put customers at serious risk of becoming ill from unsafe food," said Daniel Morelli, Torfaen's head of public protection.

He said the council's environmental health officers responded to a complaint and took "immediate action to protect public health".

"The sentence imposed by the court demonstrates how serious the charges were," Mr Morelli added.

"I would encourage new or existing food businesses operating in Torfaen, who have food safety queries to contact the council."