Former restaurant owner Ibrahim Sultan Miyah has been found guilty of allowing his staff to live in dangerous conditions above the Calcutta Club at 44 Mill Road, Cambridge.
Mr Miyah, of St Albans, Hertfordshire, appeared before Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 7 October 2011 and pleaded guilty to the offences after previously entering a not-guilty plea at a hearing in July.
Following an investigation by Cambridge City Council Housing Standards officers, it was found that restaurant staff were continuing to be housed in unsuitable living conditions above the restaurant, despite previous assurances from Mr Miyah that this would not be the case. Miyah had previously been convicted for the same offence in December 2010.
In the event of a fire, the occupants of the first-floor rooms would have been expected to escape through the ground-floor restaurant and open kitchen or to jump from the first-floor windows.
The Housing Standards officers determined that this situation was not safe and in February 2010 prohibition orders were served on Mr Miyah prohibiting the residential use of the rooms above the Calcutta Club until he had installed a suitable secondary fire escape.
Despite Miyah’s conviction in December 2010 Housing Standards officers subsequently inspected the premises in January and February 2011 and found that a fire escape had not been provided and three of the first-floor rooms were being occupied by members of Mr Miyah’s staff in breach of the prohibition orders.
As Mr Miyah had disregarded the prohibition orders, gave no indication that he was intending to comply with the orders and the fact that he had previously been convicted in December 2010, Cambridge City Council decided that prosecution was necessary to protect the staff living above the restaurant.
On hearing the evidence presented, District Judge Sheraton said to Mr Miyah: "Having been before the court in December last year, it must have been very clear to you the seriousness with which Cambridge City Council took these matters, and the seriousness, because of the penalties imposed, in which the court took them."
Mr Miyah was fined £12,000 for the offences and ordered to pay costs to the council of £3,500.
Councillor Catherine Smart, Executive Councillor for Housing, said: "This case shows that the city council will not let up when the law is being broken and people's lives are at risk. Fire safety regulations must not be taken lightly or ignored and the city council will point this out and will pursue the matter through the courts, if necessary."
Mr Miyah no longer has any connection to the former Calcutta Club, and it is now being refurbished.
Should you have any concerns over your private rented accommodation, you can contact Housing Standards on 01223 45700 or come into Cambridge City Council Customer Service Centre at Mandela House, Regent Street, Cambridge.
