A takeaway restaurant has been hit with fines and costs of more than £7,000 after it was twice caught selling food outside licensing hours.

Magistrates heard that the city council sent licensing officers to check on Jaspers in Longport, Canterbury, and saw staff serving food in the early hours of the morning.

The takeaway, which appeared at court under its company name Sera Ltd, admitted two counts of unauthorised licensable activity and a count of not displaying a copy of its licence.

Employee Ali Bulut, 40, also admitted two counts of serving food after hours.

John Bishop, prosecuting for Canterbury City Council, said that on Sunday, May 25, licensing officers went to the restaurant at 3.15am and saw between 25 and 30 people inside.

Mr Bishop said that Jaspers was supposed to stop trading at 2.30am on a Sunday.

On Thursday, June 5, licensing officers returned at 1.50am and saw people inside.

“As the officers approached, there was an attempt to turn the lights off and lock the door,” Mr Bishop told the court.

“But it was quite clear the kitchen was still running. A customer was served with food and a delivery driver was seen collecting an order.”

The company says it relies on trade from revellers coming out of nightclubs to keep operating. Bulut said he was just an employee of Jaspers and thought he could sell food until 3.30am.

Bulut was fined £500 with £60 costs and a £15 surcharge. Sera Ltd was fined £5,100 with £1,987 costs and a £15 surchage.

Jaspers has applied to the council for permission to trade until 4am. That application was put on hold until the conclusion of the court hearing.