Repeat prosecution for illegal gas fitter

Date:

22 February 2010

Release No:

707/SWW/10

A Gloucestershire man has today been prosecuted for a second time after continuing to carry out illegal gas works without being registered.

Royston Edward Godsell, 70, of Springbank Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, was taken to court by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after he supplied and fitted a gas fire at a private property in Woodmancote, Cheltenham, in June 2009, without being registered with the Gas Safe Register.

The fire failed to work and was subsequently isolated and reported to HSE by a registered engineer. Mr Godsell had already been warned on several occasions by HSE not to undertake gas work until he was competent and registered to do so.

Cheltenham Magistrates Court heard Royston Godsell plead guilty to breaches under Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined £450 for the breaches and ordered to pay costs of £1,346.90 today.

This is the second time HSE has prosecuted Mr Godsell. In July 2008, at Cheltenham Magistrates Court, Mr Godsell was fined £1,000 for a series of gas-related offences. These included carrying out gas-related works while being unregistered, breaching a Prohibition Notice, and leaving gas appliances in a dangerous state of repair at several Gloucestershire properties.

HSE inspector, Stephan Axt-Simmonds, said:

"It's completely unacceptable Mr Godsell ignored the law and repeated warnings about carrying out illegal gas work. Despite being prosecuted in 2008, he has continued to put people's lives at risk.

"Gas appliances which are not properly installed and adequately maintained by a competent registered installer may not operate properly and could potentially release deadly Carbon Monoxide (CO) fumes into an enclosed space.

"We strongly advise that everyone - whether it's in a business capacity or just as a private householder - gets their gas appliances checked regularly by a registered gas fitter.

"Do not be tempted to use unregistered engineers or friends - you could literally be putting your life at risk."

Notes to editors

1. Regulation 3 (3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states: "...no employer shall allow any of his employees to carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or service pipework and no self-employed person shall carry out any such work, unless the employer or self-employed person, as the case may be, is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive..."
2. Workers undertaking gas installation and maintenance work must be registered with Gas Safe Register. HSE awarded CAPITA the contract to provide the gas installer registration scheme in Great Britain from April 2009. This scheme replaced the one previously operated by CORGI. Further information about the gas registration scheme is available at: http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/about.aspx
3. The court also ordered Royston Godsell to pay a separate £15 victim surcharge.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR South West