The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted an illegal gas fitter after he installed a boiler at a family home on the Wirral which was found to be 'immediately dangerous'.
Janusz Potocki fitted the boiler at a house in Prenton near Birkenhead on 5 November 2011 despite not being registered with Gas Safe.

He was prosecuted by the HSE after it emerged the flue on the boiler had been badly installed, creating at potential risk that carbon monoxide could be released into the home.

Wirral Magistrates' Court heard Mr Potocki had returned to the house on several occasions after the owners reported the boiler was not working properly. They eventually contacted the manufacturer, which sent out its own engineer.

He identified the boiler as being immediately dangerous and this opinion was confirmed when another Gas Safe-registered engineer visited the property to carry out repairs. The issue was then reported to the Gas Safe Register and HSE.

The court was told Mr Potocki had received a letter from HSE in September 2011 warning him that he needed to be a member of the Gas Safe Register after he allegedly carried out a gas safety check for a landlord at another property.

He signed a document to acknowledge receiving the letter but despite this still went ahead with the boiler installation in Prenton.

Mr Potocki pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 by carrying out gas work without being registered and failing to make sure the flue on the boiler was safe.

He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service and received a six-month suspended prison sentence. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £3,500 during the sentencing hearing on 17 December 2013.