A TOWN centre takeaway owner has been given a suspended prison sentence for not following an improvement notice issued due to gas safety concerns.

Gursel Ozcan, of Oakwell Lane, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to the charges at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court on last month but returned to be sentenced on Monday.

Ozcan, 55, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £2,000 towards council costs and a £122 victim surcharge.

The court was told how an improvement notice was served in March last year, as Ozcan failed to safely maintain his gas system at Kebab Express on Peel Street.

Improvements were needed as he failed to operate a safe system of work for gas catering equipment, and operated cooking equipment without adequate ventilation.

In October, Ozcan had been told by a gas engineer that his gas installation was at risk.

The supply was switched off, but the defendant continued to use it without conducting any further safety checks.

Coun Jim Andrews, cabinet spokesperson for public health, said safety must be put first.

He said: “By ignoring essential health and safety requirements or cutting back on essential maintenance, managers of businesses are putting people’s lives at unnecessary risk and they rightly face a heavy punishment when they are caught.

“We continue to work with businesses to help them comply with health and safety laws. This keeps Barnsley residents, employees and visitors safe from harm.”