A WARRANT for the arrest of a Bradford man charged with operating illegal food businesses has been issued by a judge after he failed to attend court today.

Yakub Moosa Yusuf, 59, faces a string of charges in breach of food safety regulations between August 2012 and December last year, including managing a food business while banned from doing so.

The nine charges, brought by Bradford Council, also included the failure to register a food business, and allegations of transporting carcasses in unrefrigerated vehicles that might have resulted in a risk to public health.

The Council also alleges that food was transported in dirty conditions that could have led to it becoming contaminated, and cited an apparent failure to dispose of animal by-products in an authorised landfill.

In relation to the last charge, Yusuf, of Warley Drive, Bradford Moor, is accused of disposing of 11 sheep ears in a domestic bin.

Yusaf's legal representative Simon Kealey told Bradford Crown Court that his client had informed him he was unable to attend the hearing as he was unwell and being treated in an Edinburgh hospital.

When calls were made to confirm this, the court heard the hospital had no record of Yusuf.

Prosecutor Howard Shaw asked for a warrant to be issued for Yusuf's immediate arrest, which was granted by Judge Neil Davey QC.

A second defendant, Mir Abbas Sayed, 26, pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting Yusuf in breaching his prohibition order to manage a food business.

Sayed, also of Warley Drive, Bradford Moor, admitted a charge of failing to register a food business, Longside Lambs Ltd, which was listed as trading from his home address, between April and December 2013.

His legal representative, Mohammed Nawaz told the court that Sayed was also facing charges of driving while disqualified and without insurance, and conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

The latter charges are due to be heard at York Crown Court, and Mr Nawaz asked for all matters, including Sayed's pleas to the food safety offences, to be transferred to that court.

Judge Davey granted the request, telling Sayed he would be "remanded in custody in respect of all outstanding matters".