Hotelier jailed for fire safety breaches

Mr Mahmood Hussain who appeared at Nottingham Crown Court, was sentenced for breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which included failure to comply with an Enforcement Notice at his premises known as A1 Hotel, Hamilton Road, Sherwood.

Other offences included a failure to undertake a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, failure to provide and maintain adequate escape routes from the hotel, failure to make appropriate fire safety arrangements and the failure to routinely maintain the fire alarm and emergency lighting systems.

Passing sentence, His Honour Judge MacAdam said that Mr Hussain has shown a wilful disregard for fire safety laws and continued to profit whilst placing hotel residents at risk.

The Judge went on to say that an immediate custodial sentence was necessary as “The message must go out – fire kills,” and because Mr Hussain had been given, “so many warnings on so many occasions.”

Head of fire protection for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, group manager Andy Kelly said, “We welcome and support the comments of Judge MacAdam.

“Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service does and will always seek to work with and support business owners to make sure that they keep their premises, guests and employees safe.

“However, staff, members of the public and visitors using premises within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire should feel reassured that they can do so safely.

“We hope that sentences such as these confirm to the public that we do take fire safety matters very seriously, and that we are committed to creating safer communities for us all to enjoy.”