The owner of a confectionery warehouse has been fined £4,000 after waste left outside led to a rat infestation.
Health inspectors found a colony of the rodents at Yum Yum, in Winston Avenue, Croft.
Neil James Busby, owner of the company, pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates' Court to four hygiene breaches.
The 42-year-old, of Glendale Avenue, Glenfield, was also ordered to pay £1,019 costs.
More than 50 photographs showing the extent of the infestation and messy conditions were shown to the court.
Ian Marriner, a senior environmental health officer at Blaby District Council, said: "There was an active infestation of rats in the warehouse, with food having been gnawed and live rats seen and heard.
"The floor was soiled with sweet debris, including spilled sweets and chocolates, making it sticky in places.
"Outside, a refuse skip was overflowing with a mixture of refuse including food waste, meaning food was readily available to the rat population.
"This population had grown and become well-established."
Yum Yum was reported to Blaby District Council in the summer, when a neighbouring business complained about problems with waste.
After the inspection that followed, it was closed for four weeks and the business was ordered to pay more than £760 in costs to the council.
During the latest hearing, the court was told the business had not been registered with the council, which was an offence.
As well as the rat infestation, the charges related to failing to prevent food on the premises becoming contaminated and failing to provide adequate bins for food waste.
The court was told that as a "prosperous" business employing 30 people, the owner should have known about his duty to deal with hygiene.
Councillor Guy Jackson, portfolio holder for regulatory and neighbourhood services at the district council, said: "Many businesses in Blaby district work extremely hard to keep within hygiene ratings, so we must take action against those which don't.
"This prosecution shows the council is prepared to take action against any business or individual putting the health and safety of the public at risk."
For more information or to check food hygiene ratings in Blaby district and across the county, visit:
www.food.gov.uk/ratings
