A plumber must undertake 140 hours of unpaid work after carrying out illegal gas work at a home in Tiptree.

Ryan Ellingford, of Grove Farm Road, Tolleshunt Major, checked a boiler, cooker and pipework at a rental property in Globe Walk and issued gas safety certificates despite not being registered with the Gas Safe Register.

Ellingford, 30, carried out the work trading as R J Plumbing & Heating, and also issued a safety certificate with a false registration number, Southend Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday.

A prosecutor for the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) told the court a later inspection of the work found the boiler was “immediately dangerous” and Ellingford was given a notice banning him from doing any more gas-related work while unregistered.

Ellingford was given 140 hours of community service and ordered to pay £339 costs after admitting two breaches of gas regulations.

Speaking after the case HSE inspector Corrine Godfrey said: “People can die as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, and, by his negligence, Ryan Ellingford could have caused the illness or death of the prospective residents and neighbours of this property.

“The purpose of the Gas Safe Register is to protect the public from gas work being carried out by people who have not been trained and are not competent.

“Mr Ellingford was not registered and had not been assessed as competent by Gas Safe Register. His actions endangered householders and their neighbours and put them at serious risk of injury and even potentially death.”