The real life Basil Fawlty: Rude host, 60, swore at guests and ran 'dump' guest house which he lied was 'four-star' in series of misleading online ads

Situated in the shadow of Beverley's historic Minister church, John Dixon Hart promised customers 'four-star' luxury for stays in his elegant Grade II listed guest house.

Instead, the paying public found overnight stays were ruined by a rude 'Basil Fawlty' host and 'awful, dirty and unhygienic' rooms, a court heard.

A judge said the Minster Garth guest house was a 'dump' and said it didn't ever merit 'one star' because conditions were so appalling.

Visitors complained of 'shabby' unclean rooms, 'stained' and 'gruesome' bedding, 'musty and tobacco smells', mouse droppings in a drawer and dead insects.

Other complaints included a missing door handle, 'threadbare' carpets, a broken shower curtain and missing bathroom tiles.

Now the hotel owner has been handed a nine-month suspended prison sentence and 20 days rehabilitation after he admitted six offences involving misleading commercial practices at Hull Crown Court.

The business was said not to have minimum standards required of 'hygiene, health and safety' standards.

Adverts with misleading information and photographs were used on popular websites Expedia, LateRooms and Booking.com to attract customers by false pretences.

Hart's behaviour – likened by Judge Mark Bury to the TV sitcom character Basil Fawlty – was equally shocking, Hull Crown Court was told. The guest house owner put it down to a drinking problem that 'worsened' his behaviour.

The court heard that Hart, of Beverley, East Yorkshire, used an expletive to describe one woman and was rude in telephone calls.

Judge Bury said: 'He called some lady he had never met a f****** letch and told her she was a sponger.'

Commenting on his attitude towards his guests, the judge said: 'It's a wonder he had any. He wasn't particularly welcoming.'

On top of his suspended sentence, Hart was ordered to pay £729 compensation to reimburse eight guests who complained.

The judge told Hart his business, in a stunning Georgina townhouse situated in a prime location for tourists, was 'a potentially lucrative business' and could be 'like a gold mine'.

Based on the adverts guests expected 'three or four-star' quality, instead Michele Stuart-Lofthouse, prosecuting, said conditions were 'shabby, tatty and run down' with 'unkempt grounds'.

Telephone calls were unanswered and rooms filthy.

Paying customers complained to council trading standards officers who investigated.

Miss Stuart-Lofthouse said one guest complained about the state of her room.

'Given the smell and how awful the room was, they had no option but to go into town and buy cleaning products themselves,' said Miss Stuart-Lofthouse. 'There was a bin with all the previous occupants' rubbish in it.'

Hart admitted he wasn't keen on giving refunds and told the court some people 'exaggerated problems'.

A group of international equestrian judges were among those demanding refunds, the court heard.

Hart admitted being rude to guests and explained: 'In the evening, I was in the habit of drinking quite a few vodka and cokes and that worsened my behaviour towards guests.

'We have got 12 or 13 rooms and, if people are all turning up at the same time and demanding attention, it can all get a bit fraught.'

The owner admitted telling some guests to 'sling their hook'.

He told the court at the time of the offences his wife left him, although they were now back together and improvements had been made to the guest house, including redecoration.

'There have been quite a few more positive reviews recently,' said Hart. 'I had the whole place redecorated last year and decent carpeting. I regularly replace the bedding.'

Judge Bury replied: 'Washing it would help.'

Hart told the court he only had a 'meagre income' from the business and was trying hard to improve standards to make it a success.

Judge Bury said: 'The idea is that you get back on your feet and run this guest house as it should be and not as Basil Fawlty. You are charging reasonable rates so people should not expect The Ritz. They should expect reasonable facilities and, from you, politeness.'

The court heard Hart was jailed for 22 weeks last August for public order and harassment offences. He only served just over a month in prison and had made good progress since.

Ordering compensation to be paid, Judge Bury said his customers had 'genuine grievances' and they suffered a 'shocking set of circumstances'.

But he told Hart: 'Do not go to the off-licence and buy vodka. All I can do is wish you the best of luck with it.'