Leicester Magistrates Court found Anthony Ibbitson , trading as ARI Design Limited, guilty of breaching Section 20 of the Architects 1997 Act for misusing the title “architect”.

He was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay a further £2,346 in costs.

The court head that Ibbitson was not registered with the Architects Registration Board but had continued to trade as ‘Architects Leicester’ on ARI Design Ltd’s website, despite numerous warnings that he was acting unlawfully.

A spokesperson on behalf of ARB’s Professional Standards Department said: “Mr Ibbitson failed to co-operate with the Board and continued to refer to the practice as architects despite several warnings that he had no right to do so.

“This is a successful outcome which demonstrates the serious consequences of misleading the public.”

ARB is the statutory body established by Parliament under the Architects Act 1997 to regulate the UK architects’ profession in the public interest.

The Act requires ARB, among other things, to regulate use of the title “architect” and to take action when it is being used unlawfully.