Multi-millionaire successfully appeals road ban

Multi-millionaire who appeared on TV’s Undercover Boss successfully appeals road ban for speeding as judge reduces disqualification due to ‘important security and safety’ fears

  • Shelim Hussain was ordered to stay off the road for six months by magistrates
  • But Crown Court judge then reduced the disqualification order to 22 days
  • Businessman broke down in tears while on ITV’s Undercover Big Boss in 2021 

A multi-millionaire who appeared on TV’s Undercover Big Boss successfully appealed a driving ban as a judge reduced his disqualification over ‘security and safety’ fears.

Shelim Hussain MBE, reported to be worth £80m, was ordered to stay off the road for six months by magistrates for speeding, but paid for a top barrister to take his case to a crown court judge. 

Hilary Roberts said his client was required to travel ‘throughout the extent of the country’ on a daily basis while running his food company.

He also said there were ‘safety and security issues’ but the precise details of which were not made public, as they were subject to an anonymity order issued by the High Court. 

Shelim Hussain MBE had been ordered to stay off the road for six months by magistrates for speeding

The 49-year-old, pictured appearing on Undercover Big Boss, paid for a top barrister to take his case to a crown court judge

Mr Hussain is the owner of Euro Foods Group, building up his business from nothing after moving to the UK from Bangladesh at the age of 11.

His business now has a turnover of £105m, employs 1,500 staff worldwide with depots in the UK, US, and Bangladesh.

But the 49-year-old was convicted of speeding in November after his £60,000 Range Rover Sport was clocked doing 49mph in a 30mph zone in Newport Road, Cwmbran, South Wales on April 29 last year.

A notice of prosecution was sent to his address in Ridgeway, Newport, and he responded by asking for photographic evidence.

This was sent but Mr Hussain said he was unable to identify the driver and he was travelling away on business. He later admitted he was the driver.

He appeared at Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court where he was fined £1,300 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £130 and costs of £90. He was also disqualified from driving for six months, having received nine points on his driving licence.

Mr Hussain then lodged an appeal against his conviction at Newport Crown Court, asking to quash his disqualification under ‘exceptional hardships provisions’.

Prosecutor Hannah Friedman said the appeal was opposed by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Recorder Sean Bradley said: ‘An appeal has been made on the basis of exceptional hardship.

‘We have seen evidence in relation to that application which suggests there are important security and safety factors concerning Mr Hussain and his family which if Mr Hussain is not allowed to drive would, in our view, impose significant hardships on him and his family.

‘For that reason we are satisfied it’s appropriate to alter the terms of the order in the magistrates court.’

The disqualification order was formally reduced to 22 days which Mr Hussain had already served.

Mr Hussain, pictured appearing on Undercover Big Boss, is the owner of Euro Foods Group, building up his business from nothing after moving to the UK from Bangladesh at the age of 11

The businessman was brought to Britain by his aunt and uncle as a child from Bangladesh and at the age of 17 started working as a waiter at the Indian Ocean restaurant in Cardiff.

At the age of 18, the local prawn supplier went out of business to Mr Hussain took £20 worth of fuel and the money to buy six cases of prawns – and sold them on.

He built up his food empire supplying restaurants and was awarded an MBE in 2008.

In 2021, Mr Hussain appeared on Undercover Big Boss, where some of Britain’s biggest company directors disguise themselves to work on the frontline of their own businesses, and was left in tears after staff told him they ‘didn’t feel valued’.

On the ITV programme, the tycoon took a closer look at how his business functioned ahead of plans for a possible expansion. 

Confronted with the realities of the working conditions faced by his staff members who are pushed to reach strict targets, the experience was emotional for Mr Hussain who posed as work experience waiter Gulam Razul.

He was reduced to tears after a delivery driver Akik, in Walsall, who was expected to complete between 10 and 17 deliveries during a 10 hour shift, told him he didn’t feel valued by the company.

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