A food business operator in Cardiff has been ordered to pay a total of £22,549 in fines and costs following the discovery of a widespread rodent infestation and hazardous hygiene practices across two premises.
JS Local Ltd, the owner of Rasathi Sri Lankan Takeaway and Chennai Dosa in the Canton area, was sentenced at Cardiff Magistrates' Court after environmental health officers identified an imminent risk to public health. The prosecution followed two major inspections conducted on 4 September and 4 December 2024, which revealed that the premises lacked basic food safety management and effective pest control measures while handling high-risk ingredients such as mutton, fish, and eggs.
During the initial inspection in September 2024, officers from Cardiff Council found that the operator, Jerurasa Senjoansrajah, failed to produce essential documentation, including staff training certificates and allergy records. This led to a voluntary closure of the business, yet the situation deteriorated further by the end of the year.
By December, the site had been converted into a storage facility for Chennai Dosa, where inspectors discovered the body of a dead mouse on the kitchen floor and droppings scattered throughout food preparation areas. Furthermore, containers of raw meat and tubs of uncovered food were stored on shelves in a walk-in refrigerator alongside dirty equipment, while other perishable items were left unrefrigerated.
The legal fallout from these hygiene breaches has been significant for both the company and its leadership. The business director, Mr Senjoansrajah, was personally fined £3,072 and ordered to pay a £1,229 victim surcharge plus £1,084 in costs. His company, JS Local Ltd, incurred a much larger fine of £16,080 along with £1,084 in costs.
The court also noted that the director’s wife, Saromina Senjoansrajah, resigned from her position as a director following the enforcement action. Although a closure notice was briefly revoked on 6 December 2024 after a deep clean was attempted, continued pest activity and poor storage forced the council to proceed with a full prosecution.
Councillor Norma Mackie, representing Cardiff Council, stated that the conditions found on the premises posed a clear and immediate danger to the public. She emphasised that businesses handling high-risk food must maintain robust safety protocols to prevent contamination. The case serves as a stern warning to food operators in South Wales regarding the necessity of thorough cleaning and professional pest proofing. The total financial penalty of over £22,000 reflects the severity of the failings in a city that has seen increased scrutiny of its hospitality sector throughout 2025 to ensure compliance with national food hygiene standards.