A takeaway owner was prosecuted for using equipment "ingrained" in grease on Monday.

Environmental Health officers inspecting Murgano’s fried chicken restaurant in Victoria Street, St Albans, found out-of-date food cooked at too low a temperature and dirt on the kitchen walls, as well as a stainless steel knife “heavily smeared with grease”.

Ibrar Ahmed, 42, was ordered to pay more than £20,000 in fines and costs for 12 food hygiene offences in an inspection in May 2016, and he also admitted to obstructing officers in their investigation.

Michael Lovelady, the Council’s Head of Legal, Democratic and Regulatory Services, said: “Our Environmental Health Officers uncovered significant breaches of food hygiene regulations which were a risk to public health.

“We embarked on court action when it was clear that the required improvements were not being made.”

Alex Cameron, in mitigation for Mr Ahmed, said the defendant took over the business without having any experience of the food industry and was unaware of 10 Hygiene Improvement Notices served on the restaurant as he was visiting family in Pakistan.

Mr Cameron also said Mr Ahmed was more focused on customer satisfaction than hygiene and had received no complaints from his diners.

St Albans Magistrates also imposed a Hygiene Prohibition Order, preventing him from running a food business, at the hearing.