Magistrates have fined a city-centre restaurant £10,000 for failing to dispose of its waste.

Insha Ltd, the company that owns Markaz Restaurant and Shisha Lounge, allowed refuse to pile up behind its premises in Centenary Square, causing a rodent infestation, a hearing in Bradford was told yesterday.

The company, which was also ordered in its absence to pay £2,120 in costs, had been found guilty, again in its absence, of 30 charges under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in July.

These included offences relating to flytipping, duty of care, waste containment and rotting food.

Hargit Ryatt, prosecuting for Bradford Council, told magistrates the restaurant had terminated its waste removal contract with Biffa in March.

Council officers visited the restaurant several times in March, April and May and had to remove refuse themselves, he said.

The infestation was not only a health hazard but rodents were also seen near neighbouring businesses, the court heard.

Mr Ryatt said: “Leaving such piles of waste in the city centre is not an acceptable state of affairs.

“The Council have tried to engage with the company on numerous occasions.”

Magistrates were told the company had also failed to pay a £7,500 fine and costs of £2,325 after it was prosecuted for 11 similar charges in April.

Bench chairman Hugh Simpson, who also ordered the business pay a £15 victim surcharge, said the £10,000 fine took into account all 30 offences.

Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq, the Council’s executive member for environment and sustainability, said: “We are happy with the result of today’s hearing and hope it sends a message to other businesses in the district that unhygienic and unsatisfactory storage of trade waste will not be tolerated.”

email: hannah.baker @telegraphandargus.co.uk