A former businessman has told a court he will never run another care home again after he breached health and safety rules.

Ernest Otasowie, who ran Leighton House in Walton, admitted eight charges of failing to comply with health and safety and food hygiene regulations when he appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The court heard environmental health officers visited the care home in Percival Road last April and found numerous breaches of health and safety legislation, including a cistern tap which was overflowing into the kitchen, and food stored at the wrong temperatures.

Nicholas Michael, prosecuting, said proper risk assessments for the care home’s employees and six residents, including the risk of Legionnaire’s disease, had also not been carried out.

Mr Michael said: “Officers were concerned that elderly people living at the home were placed at risk, particularly one who was suffering from dementia.”

Four charges of failing to supply clean, hot and cold running water, failing to shut off a lift and not assessing the risk of hazardous substances were withdrawn by the court after Otasowie denied the offences.

The court heard the 44-year-old, of Honiton Road, Southend, said in an interview he had a BSc in medicine and was a member of the Royal College of Nursing.

“On that basis he would have been aware of his duty of care,” said Mr Michael.

Otasawie told the court he set up the care home in 2004 without any previous experience. He said its closure cost him a lot of money as he was forced to sell the 11-bedroom house at auction in August. At the time, he had debts to repay.

He said: “I’m finished. I have lost everything with this case. I have been through hell. I’m a broken man.

“I’m no longer going back to this line of business. You should dismiss this case because I’m no longer going back to run a care home.”

Chief magistrate Andrew Schooler said: “These are serious offences which have endangered some very vulnerable people in our community.

“It seems you have not really appreciated the seriousness of these matters.”

The case was adjourned until January for sentencing so a report could be prepared and Otasowie’s finances investigated.

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