A DEVOUT Muslim who says he was served pork at a Winchester restaurant has branded the chain “disgraceful” and “insensitive”.

Karim Kazane, from Micheldever, has spent three years fighting for compensation from Zizzi after he discovered pepperoni in a meal at their High Street branch.

The 23-year-old was half-way through a carne picante, advertised as containing beef and chicken, when he discovered the meat banned under Islam. He has demanded £5,000 from the Italian food chain and may take legal action.

“Normally you’re in control of yourself, you’re Muslim,” said Mr Kazane, a journalism graduate from Dairy Place. “I know that as a Muslim you know what you’re doing. I’ve never done it because of my religion and they took that away from me.

“I have lost trust in eating out completely and never would trust to eat anywhere but home again, because I believe Zizzi have taken that social freedom, once had, away.”

Mr Kazane has sent a string of letters and emails to the firm since the incident in 2012, but says they failed to take his complaint seriously.

“I just felt like I was really belittled by them,” he said. “I want them to know it’s a serious situation that faces Muslims all the time. They know they’ve got all the money they need to defend themselves and I don’t.”

He says his mother has faced a similar problem at Winchester Zizzi in the past.

“This is not okay and Zizzi should not be allowed to get away with it,” he added. “People need awareness that their service is disgraceful and very insensitive.”

Zizzi declined to comment, citing the possibility of legal action.