FORMER Modbury bakery owner William Abbot has been banned from being involved in the management of a food business in future.

Magistrates told him it was the best way of stopping him from causing damage to the public.

Abbot pleaded guilty to 12 charges under hygiene regulations and agreed to have a further 36 taken into consideration, when he appeared before South Devon Magistrates at Torquay.

The offences related to Fox's Bakery, 11/12 Broad St, Modbury, where Abbot operated his food business from 2003 until summer 2011.

There is no connection between the court case and the owners of the building or the current Modbury bakery firm which operates under the same name.

Abbot now lives in Windsor, Berkshire.

Nick Hill, prosecuting on behalf of South Hams Council, explained to the court that the offences related to a general poor state of cleanliness and disrepair of the bakery's fabric and equipment used in the business. Additionally, Abbot failed to implement a food safety management system.

Helen Buckthorp, a council environmental health officer, carried out inspections on two occasions in 2010 which showed that conditions had not improved and had, in fact, got worse.

This was despite previous action taken against Abbot over a period of time by the council's officers. Abbot had previously been arrested for not attending earlier hearings.

In his defence, it was stated that Abbot had no previous convictions and that he did not own the building. The court was also told of financial and mental health problems.

Abbot was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay the council's full costs of £1441. Mr Hill's application for a Hygiene Prohibition Order disqualifying Abbot from being involved in the management of a food business was granted.

Magistrates told Abbot: 'We take the matter very seriously.

'You could have easily caused serious damage to people, despite the advice given by the council and a Hygiene Prohibition Order is the best way of stopping you from causing damage to the public'.