A businessman has been ordered to pay more than £22,000 after one of his employees was blinded in an accident at work.

Kishor Chandegra, 46, part-owner of Londis, in Church Road, Barnes, was fined £17,000 and ordered to pay £5,790 court costs after an accident left shop assistant Mahendra Dhoju partially-blind.

Mr Dhoju, who lost the sight in his left eye and his sense of smell after being hit on the head by a stock cage in April, could also be in line for compensation of tens of thousands of pounds when civil proceedings are launched later this year.

Mr Dhoju was injured on April 27 while unloading deliveries and transferring them to the stock room.

He had been pushing a large container with a colleague when it got stuck on a set of ramps leading into the shop.

When they tried to move the cage Mr Dhoju slipped and fell on the wet ramp and the cage hit him on the head.

Chandegra appeared at Richmond Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with failing to ensure the safety of his employees.

The businessman, of Lulworth Avenue, Hounslow, pleaded guilty and asked his lawyer to express his remorse at the incident.

Defence solicitor Sarbjit Bisla said: “My client accepts he was the partner responsible for health and safety.

“He also accepts that although supervision was carried out by the manager, more should have been taken to notice roll cages were getting stuck and action should have been taken.

“He is very much remorseful and cares deeply regarding the welfare of his staff.”

Chandegra, who runs the 28-year-old family company DJ Foodfare – which owns the Londis convenience store franchise in Church Road, along with his three brothers – had been in charge of health and safety at the time of the accident.

Richmond Council brought proceedings against the businessman after carrying out a health and safety assessment following the accident.

Adrian Noviss, prosecuting, said: “Every employer has a general duty to ensure as far as practicable the safety of employees.”

Chairman of the bench, Timothy Rayment, said: “This was a very serious matter and there were serious injuries caused to an employee.”

The amount of compensation Mr Dhoju could apply for is set by the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), according to the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

JSB guidelines state a claimant would be in line for £31,500 to £35,000 for the loss of sight in one eye and £16,000 to £21,000 for loss of smell.

Councillor Virginia Morris, the council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “The injuries Mr Dhoju suffered will affect him for the rest of his life and I am pleased to see the court has taken this as seriously as the council does."