A bill of more than £77,000 has been handed to a Sealand landlord who crammed more than 100 migrant workers into "wholly inadequate" living conditions.

At court today (January 14), Russell Brown, 51, was fined £21,400 and ordered to pay costs of more than £56,000 after admitting allowing migrants including a couple and their eight-year-old child to live in one room and four people in another.

Brown, of Deeside Lane in Sealand appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court today to admit flouting 12 charges under the Housing Act.

The court heard police had received an anonymous call fearing for the welfare of tenants at a two-storey property, owned by Brown, which was formerly a fireplace showroom and did not have planning permission for anyone to live there.

Flintshire County Council officers visited the property in February last year, but were allowed only limited access.

Here they discovered the family and four other people.

A multi-agency operation, thought to be one of the biggest in the UK, was launched on March 22 last year involving North Wales Police and the Red Cross. The operation cost £56,051.

Christopher Moss, prosecuting, said 107 Eastern Europeans were found living in the building which was at “imminent risk of fire” and there was a “real risk to life”.

The court heard there were just six toilets, six showers and limited kitchen space for tenants.

Mr Moss said septic tanks overflowed with sewage, electrical wires trailed and due to inadequate kitchen space many rooms contained deep-fat fryers and toasters, increasing the risk of fire.

Living conditions were 'wholly inadequate'

Fire alarms did not work and fire fighting equipment was not maintained, while “means of escape were not clear”.

Mr Moss said: “This concerns multiple breaches by Mr Brown at the top end of the scale. The living conditions at the property can be described as wholly inadequate.

“The safety of tenants was at risk and there was an imminent risk of fire. It did not provide even basic safe living conditions.”

Related: Man in court charged over raid on Sealand building housing migrant workers

The court heard Brown was charging £50-55 per person per week in rent, and Mr Moss estimated he had raked in £23,450.

Richard Thomas, defending, said the number of people living at the property had spiralled out of control.

He said Brown was approached by recruitment firm Staffline to provide accommodation for 20-30 workers and up until January 2015 he was “controlling the situation well”.

However, Mr Thomas said by March 2015, the premises had become “flooded by migrants”.

He said: “Mr Brown’s premises was flooded by migrants and he should have said ‘no, i cannot cope’.”

He added: “He accepts it was disorganised and there were far too many living there.”

Despite the state of the property, Mr Thomas said Brown spent more than £22,000 making improvements to the property.

Brown, who had no previous convictions, owns five properties and Mr Thomas told that in the event of a substantial financial penalty he would have to sell one of his properties.

The court heard Brown was currently facing having his home repossessed due to financial struggles.

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