A restaurant owner has been fined more than £24,000 after food that was covered in "mouse urine and faeces" was found.

Doron Zilkha, owner of bakery and restaurant The Battersea Quarter, was found guilty of five hygiene offences in February and sentenced on March 15 at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court.

The charges included preparing food where there was an "active mouse infestation", serving food covered in mouse droppings and urine, and failing to put adequate pest control in place.

Inspectors witnessed mice running across the food, which they described as "unfit for human consumption".

Included in the £24,170, Zilkha, of Blakemore Gardens in Barnes, had to pay £170 victim compensation.

The court ordered him to pay £500 a month. 

Mr Zilkha said: "That is not what happened. No such item was ever sold. 

"They found me guilty but I'm absolutely not guilty."

The owner said he was a "caring and conscious" person and that he rarely visited the restaurant. He said the neighbouring property had a mouse infestation and it got in through a hole in the wall. 

He said: "The operation manager had just quit. The head chef was fully in charge. I rely on management to ensure everything is okay."

Mr Zilkha said he did not want to name anyone but said the head chef's behaviour was "irresponsible". 

"It certainly bears no reflection on me personally," he added. 

The restaurant had a five-star hygiene rating before the incident.