A NIGHTCLUB owner has been fined £76,000 at crown court for a catalogue of fire safety breaches which were said to have put the lives of visitors and staff at risk.

Aaron Mellor, 45, appeared before York Crown Court on Monday (October 5) for sentencing over a range of fire safety breaches at Tokyo nightclub on Toft Green in York. The venue changed its name to Fibbers in 2014.

The mains electricity had been disconnected because of a dispute with the electricity company and a generator was used to supply power when the club opened on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The rest of the time it was switched off. But the fire alarm and detection system all relied on a continuous supply of electricity and there was an occupied bed-sit on site, which also had a blocked exit and other safety issues.

An enforcement notice was served on Mellor, 45, from Manchester, in March 2013, requiring him to remedy the defects. But subsequent visits found safety matters had not been resolved.

The court heard Mellor, from Manchester, had other another venue in Lincoln where similar fire hazards were found.

North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Services combined forces to prosecute Mellor, who pleaded guilty to failing to obey a fire safety enforcement notice at Tokyo, York. He denied 11 similar offences in Lincoln, but was convicted at a trial before a district judge.

Tokyo Industries (One) Ltd, of which he is currently the sole director, admitted three offences relating to Tokyo York.

Mellor was fined a total of £76,000 and ordered to pay £67,450 prosecution costs to the North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire fire authorities. Tokyo Industries (One) Ltd was fined £30,000.

Judge Ashurst said he was satisfied Mellor had made "significant" efforts to improve fire safety at his venues.