A butcher whose safety failings led to a teenager losing his hand in a meat grinder has been ordered to pay Kingston Council £60,000 in legal costs.

Malik Raza, who owns Surrey Halal Meat in New Malden was employing Imad Amin as cheap labour in February 2017 when the accident happened.

Mr Amin, who was 19 at the time, had not been trained to use the machines – which had the protective guards taken off so he could mince faster – and his dominant right hand became trapped.

Paramedics attending the shop in Kingston Road had to call London Fire Brigade, and Mr Amin was taken to hospital with his hand still mangled inside parts of the machine.

Firefighters had to accompany surgeons into the operating theatre to cut open the mincer to release Mr Amin’s hand, which was so broken it had to be amputated.

At Kingston Crown Court on April 24, Mr Raza was ordered to pay the council, which prosecuted him as the authority responsible for health and safety, £60,000.

HHJ Lamb QC said while imposing the order that Mr Raza had lied about the case until just before the trial, meaning the council had to pay for legal and investigative costs – hence the large sum.

This followed orders made on April 4 also at Kingston Crown Court imposing a suspended prison sentence and requiring Mr Raza to do unpaid work and pay £75,000 compensation and a victim impact surcharge to Mr Amin.

Stephen Evans, director of communities at Kingston Council, said: "This is an extremely serious offence.

"We will take action against businesses who deliberately flout rules for gain and pose a risk to people's health.

"The council has put in a considerable amount of time investigating and exposing the wrongdoing of Mr Raza.

"We are pleased that the court has recognised the costs to the council."