An unregistered gas fitter has been sentenced after putting lives at risk by carrying out illegal gas work at several properties in the north east.
The Crown Court heard that, from September 2016 to December 2017, the defendant advertised his ‘services’ on various social media sites using false names, several telephone numbers and at least three bank accounts to evade detection. His illegal gas work put lives at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning, asphyxiation, fire and explosion due to his poor workmanship.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the defendant has never been registered with Gas Safe Register, nor was he competent to carry out gas work.
The Gentleman pleaded guilty to 24 breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to a 3 year custodial sentence and was disqualified from being the director of a company for 12 years.
Speaking after the hearing, the HSE inspector said: “Anyone employed to work on gas appliances in domestic premises must be a Gas Safe registered engineer and competent in that area of gas work. The gas engineer’s competencies are clearly marked on the back of the engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card. If in any doubt you can contact the Gas Safe Register or check their website to see if the engineer is registered.”
Information provided by https://press.hse.gov.uk/2021/05/28/unregistered-gas-engineer-sentenced-for-illegal-gas-work/