A company which demolished a building in Ramsgate High Street without permission has been slapped with a hefty fine.

Shopkeepers were evacuated, shoppers ran for cover and motorists were forced to turn round as debris started falling during the botched demolition in Ramsgate.

The company planned to flatten number 81 and other houses and printworks to make way for the building of 20 new flats in November 2013.

But Thanet District Council had not given permission to bring down the buildings.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how despite the lack of a go-ahead, work began without property safety measures being in place.

The unqualified man that Panther AL (VAT) hired to carry out the work received a suspended jail sentence for his part in the botched job.

Prosecutor Claire Harden-Frost said: “Members of the public were put at serious risk to their health and safety.”

And after a row with local councillors, directors of security firm Panther - which owns the building - published an article in the Thanet Gazette – which a judge has branded “a pack of lies”.

Now the company has been fined £160,000 and ordered to pay £9,000 in costs after admitting breaching health and safety regulations in failing to take “reasonable steps” to hire a competent demolition company.

Judge James O’Mahony heard how demolition man Martin Elmes was hired after Panther staff talked with “jobbing builders” who recommended him – but they didn’t make any checks on his experience in demolition or his qualifications.

“It would seem Mr Elmes was selected because he was available and provided a quote which Panther was willing to pay,” said the prosecutor.

Elmes, from Hemel Hempstead, also admitted a charge of failing to take adequate steps to prevent or reduce danger during the demolition.

He was given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered to stay at his home between 9.30pm and 5am for the next four months.

The prosecutor added: “The demolition was undertaken by a 'JCB-type' machine with a bucket attached to the front and no protection screen and no specialist demolition equipment on site.

“No permission was sought about a temporary road closure – instead workmen on site used cones and red tape to put an exclusion zone around the property, which according to witnesses, happened as the demolition was taking place.”

The prosecutor said: “It was the most primitive form of demolition and witnesses reported seeing young people running across the exclusion zone as part of a game.”

The company said the building had been in imminent danger of collapsing but the council expert rejected this claim.

She added that it was “a matter of fortune” that no one was injured as debris fell in the street.

After the demolition complaints were made about the incident by councillors.

The prosecutor said: “As a result, Panther PLC – the parent company - published their own full page article in the Thanet Gazette aimed at the residents.

“It contained a number of untruths. It said the demolition was planned and carefully thought out. The company said it had discussed the matter with local police – that was untrue.

“They had also carefully planned the road closure and had ensured the site was secured with up to five workmen to ensure safety of the public.

“We don’t know how many people were on site but the rest of that statement was untrue, as in fact there was no liaison with local police.”

The court heard that the action plan Elmes drew up for the demolition was inadequate, it wasn't followed and he wasn’t even on site that day.