A fish and chip shop owner has been handed a hefty fine after he was prosecuted for leaving his maggot-infested bins overflowing with rubbish and food waste.

Fehbi Bozyel, who runs Golden Fish and Chips in Hythe High Street, has been ordered to pay nearly £1,000 after pleading guilty at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court.

It follows his failing to act after a notice was served on him by environment officers from Shepway District Council and several complaints were made to the council.

Bozyel admitted two counts of failing to comply with the notice which required him to get an extra bin to cope with the waste from the business.

The court was told that complaints had been lodged with the council about the amount of rubbish stored in the back yard.

The court heard rubbish was “everywhere”, with bins spilling over which had become infested with maggots.

Environment protection officers from SDC visited the premises and advised Bozyel about the correct storage and the disposal of business waste.

But the advice was ignored and the council served two notices under the Environment Protection Act ordering Bozyel to get another bin, to make sure it could be locked and to make proper arrangements for his business waste to be collected.

But these notices were ignored.

He was fined £250 for both offences, and also ordered to pay costs of £450 and a victim surcharge of £25.

A council spokesman said after the hearing: “Shepway District Council will not tolerate behaviour from businesses that blight the local area with mess from trade waste and will take enforcement action especially where there is the potential to attract or harbour rodents such as in this case.”

He added that every business was legally required to ensure adequate provisions were in place for waste disposal.