The owner of a Preston takeaway has been fined for a number of health and safety offences.

Sameer Namazi, owner of Mr Joe’s takeaway at 27 Church Street, has been ordered to pay a total £1,660 for offences relating to failing to guard pizza dough rollers.

Council health and safety inspectors visited the takeaway on numerous occasions and found pizza dough rollers in use without guards.

Mr Namazi, of Blackburn Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to all six charges.

Craig Sharp, Chief Environmental Health Officer, said: “The Council has found a number of takeaways operating pizza dough rollers without guarding and has prohibited their use until they have been made safe.

“The guarding prevents employees’ fingers and hands being drawn into the rollers and being crushed.

“Not being able to use key equipment, even for a short while, obviously has an impact upon the profitability of a business.

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“We would much prefer that businesses worked with us to make necessary safety improvements, but when they do not then the Council will always act to protect the health and safety of employees.

“This is the second prosecution in the City for inadequate action to deal with an unguarded dough roller in the past 12 months.”

The magistrate noted that Mr Namazi had tried to deceive the council.

Deputy District Judge Barnes said that Mr Namazi’s significant personal problems, early guilty plea and low income had been taken into consideration.

He was fined £600, the council was awarded costs of £1,000 and there was a £60 victim surcharge.