Ipswich Crown Court

A PLUMBER who put lives at risk by illegally working on domestic gas appliances has been jailed for six months.

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An Indian restaurant in Lowestoft was forced to close for two days after staff noticed a strong smell of gas coming from a boiler fitted by Paul Jowett.

An expert who examined it found it was leaking gas and was “an immediate danger to life or property”, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Jowett of Nelson Road, Pakefield, Lowestoft, admitted five breaches of gas and health and safety regulations.

Sentencing the 40-year-old, Judge Peter Thompson said he had shown a “flagrant disregard” for a warning letter and a prohibition notice banning him from carrying out gas installation work unless he was properly registered.

“The offences are far too serious for anything other than an immediate prison sentence. You put the public and private individuals at risk and you did that in a reckless fashion,” said the judge.

Judge Thompson said Jowett had deliberately misled customers.

“The seriousness of that is that you knew full well you weren’t regulated and you falsely represented that you were,” said Judge Thompson.

He said Jowett had told a probation officer that he was aware that gas fires were the biggest killer of all gas appliances.

Jowett, who was forced to represent himself after failing to find a lawyer, claimed he could not afford to get himself registered but said he had a number of qualifications to prove he was “gas safe”.

He said the gas boiler at the Red Rose Indian Restaurant in Lowestoft had been in a cellar and might have been accidentally damaged by staff. He said he had carried out checks on the boiler when he installed it and had been satisfied it was correctly fitted.

The court heard that Jowett carried out work on gas fittings and appliances at a number of addresses in the Lowestoft area between May 2009 and October 2010 without being registered to do so.

After the hearing HSE Inspector Edward Crick said:“It is against the law for anyone who is not registered with Gas Safe to carry out work on a gas appliance. When unqualified workers try to bypass the law in this way they are not only putting themselves at risk of prosecution, and potentially a large fine or a spell in prison - they are also putting their customers’ lives at risk.

“To make matters even worse, Mr Jowett was told to stop working on gas appliances, and took no notice. He ignored the Prohibition Notice he’d been served with, showing a complete lack of concern for public safety.

“Working with gas appliances is difficult, specialised and potentially very dangerous. Only engineers who are qualified and registered should attempt it.

“HSE will not hesitate to prosecute those who break the law in this way.”

Paul Johnston, Chief Executive of Gas Safe Register added: “If you are employing an engineer to fit, fix or service gas appliances, you should always make sure that person is Gas Safe registered. If they say they are, don’t just take their word for it. Check they are on the Gas Safe Register and check their ID card when they arrive at your door.

“You shouldn’t take any risks, badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning.”