liloThe joint owners of Newport restaurant Lilo Grillhouse have been ordered to pay £6000 in fines and costs for failure to co-operate with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS).

The couple was found guilty under Article 27 of the Regulatory Reform (fire Safety) order 2005 at a trial at Caerphilly Magistrates court last week [18 July].

SWFRS Authority brought the charges against Sabz Ali Khan of Lower Cathedral Road, Cardiff and Sabrina Khan of Oakfield Road, Newport who had previously pleaded not guilty.

The Khans initially refused to cooperate in providing information requested by SWFRS to help their investigations regarding fire safety breaches in 2011.

Clear message to the Business Community
Gary Johnson, SWFRS Head of Business Fire Safety, said; “I believe that this successful prosecution sends a clear message to members of the business community - business owners need to respond to formal requests for information from their local Fire and Rescue Service.

“The investigation regarding the fire safety contraventions discovered in December 2011 is continuing and we will continue to work at improving the standards of fire safety throughout our area."

They jointly own 2 Cardiff Road, Newport, also called Lilo Grillhouse and Takeaway which had been visited by Business Fire Safety Officers.

The Officers identified several potential fire safety breaches at the restaurant as well as at the sleeping accommodation provided above.

Each was ordered to pay £500 in fines and costs totaling to £5000 while their former Director at Lilo Grilhouse, Mohamed Sai of City Road, Cardiff pleaded guilty and was fined £400 and ordered to pay £1671 costs at a previous hearing.

There are ongoing investigations in the 2011 fire safety breaches at Lilo Grilhouse and Takeaway.