Gurinder Singh Sandhu, owner of Gary's Convenience Store on Castle Street, Edgeley, has been fined £15,050 after environmental health officers discovered a severe mouse infestation in November 2024. Sandhu pleaded guilty to five food hygiene offences at Manchester Crown Court on June 5, 2026.
Infestation details
Stockport Council reported that mice had been nibbling on popular chocolate brands including Twix, Dairy Milk, Twirl, Nature Valley, Kinder Bueno, Nestle's Aero, and Cadbury's Flake. Officers found droppings in food storage and display areas, gnawed packaging, and a strong odour associated with infestation. The shop lacked hot running water, adequate cleaning arrangements, and a pest control contract.
Court penalties
The court imposed fines totalling £750, prosecution costs of £14,000, and a victim surcharge of £300, bringing the total to £15,050. The business voluntarily closed twice, and over 700 food products were removed and destroyed. Thirteen council officers oversaw the cleanup, and the shop reopened on December 6, 2024, after achieving a food hygiene rating of four.
Councillor Dan Oliver, cabinet member for environmental health at Stockport Council, said: “The conditions identified were completely unacceptable and posed a significant risk to public health. Residents have a right to feel confident in the safety of the food they purchase, and we will continue to take decisive action against those who fail to meet their responsibilities and put the public at risk.”
