Two months’ prison for town chip shop owner

Cavus Ozsevgic (50) was jailed at Nottingham Crown Court for breaching fire regulations at the Mermaid Fish Bar, in Church Street.

Fire service inspectors visited the premises in 2011 and 2012 and found people sleeping in rooms above the shop.

The court was told that Ozsevgic put people at risk by using the first, second and third floors of the premises as sleeping accommodation while there were no fire doors, inadequate means of escape, an inadequate fire warning system and inadequate emergency lighting.

A prohibition order had been served on Ozsevgic by inspectors at Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service, which they found had been ignored on a follow-up visit.

Defence lawyers argued that sending Ozsevgic to prison could result in the loss of his business.

But sentencing, Judge Andrew Hamilton said that people could easily have been killed if a fire had taken hold in the premises.

Fire service spokesman Vic McMillen said: “All owners and occupiers of buildings have a legal responsibility to protect their staff, customers and anyone residing in the premises against the risk of fire. “