The owner of a “disgraceful” restaurant has been fined thousands of pounds for several food safety breaches - including a customer who found glass in their pizza.
Mahdi Al Haiery, 21, admitted 18 counts over four months for his Valentino’s eatery in Adelaide, Australia.
Inspectors from the local council discovered mouldy food which had been left uncovered.
Equipment in the kitchen was described as filthy, while they said the restaurant was “grubby and disgraceful", 9News reported.
Al Haiery was fined £10,000, but says he has spent another £30,000 to bring it up to code.
The safety check came after several customers raised concerns, including one who discovered shards of glass in his meal.
The owner blamed the unacceptable conditions on a manager who had not told him about the full extent of the issues raised.
He blamed an employee for not reporting the sharp hazard found in the pizza at the time and added that both have since been fired.
To rectify the concerns the owner assured the council he has spent thousands of dollars to ensure there is no repeat of the poor conditions.
Glass items, such as containers, have been replaced with plastic and stainless steel to avoid a repeat.
A spokesman for Port Adelaide Enfield Council said: “Previous action and food safety education were not acting as a deterrent.
"Prosecution was necessary to change current habits.”
