The former head chef at a Deal pub, where diners fell ill with food poisoning, has admitted breaching hygiene regulations.

Guye Dore, 46, worked at the New Inn in the High Street from May, 2014 until the end of September 2016, Canterbury Crown Court was told.

In September 2016 several diners fell ill with salmonella food poisoning after eating at the pub, many in its carvery.

Laura Phillips, prosecuting, said in October 2016 Dover District Council received a complaint about food poisoning at the New Inn.

Investigations revealed 10 confirmed cases of salmonella and six suspected cases.

Three people were treated at hospital and one person was admitted for almost a week for treatment.

Health officers found cross contamination of food with salmonella and food which was unfit for human consumption.

In the carvery food was not cooled quickly enough.

Miss Phillips said Dore was responsible as chef for not following basic food safety procedures.

“Hygiene practices in the kitchen were poor, there was a lack of cleaning and there was no paper work,” Miss Phillips said.

The court was told by senior probation officer Linda Jaycock, who interviewed Dore, that his father died and his marriage broke up while he was working at the pub.

“Lots of things got on top of him,” she said. “He is disorganised and not well motivated and puts his head in the sand. I expect that’s what happened here. He disputes that he was the head chef.

He started as a barman and took over some work in the kitchen after other staff left.”

Dore, who has children of four and seven, now lives in a shared house in Sandwich.

Judge Heather Norton adjourned sentence until June 18.

Earlier this year New Inn landlady Deborah Doyle was fined almost £8,000 after admitting nine food hygiene offences when she appeared at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court.