The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully prosecuted a man from Radstock for illegal gas work at properties in Shepton Mallet, Midsomer Norton and Paulton.
John Chalmers worked on boilers at three houses in the towns and village between April and October 2011 without being registered with Gas Safe, as the law requires.

He appeared at Bath Magistrates' Court on 15 May after the HSE investigated his criminal activity. Magistrates were told that Mr Chalmers wasn't legally competent to undertake any gas work because he was unregistered and did not hold any current qualifications. Furthermore, HSE established that the work he had done at all three properties did not confirm to current standards for gas appliances.

The court also heard that Mr Chalmers had already been convicted for earlier gas offences and that in 2008 he signed an undertaking not to carry out any gas work unless he had obtained the appropriate Gas Safe registration status.

He pleaded guilty in court to two separate breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for each of the three boiler connections. He was sentenced to undertake 240 hours of unpaid community work, to be carried out over a 12 month period and was also ordered to pay £10,000 in costs. In addition, the court told him to pay the owner of the property in Shepton Mallett £713 in compensation.

Following the hearing, HSE Inspector Mehtaab Hamid said: 'John Chalmers is a serial offender who has already been prosecuted for doing gas work without being registered or competent do so. He knows what the law requires, but he again chose to work outside it.

'The Gas Safe Register exists to protect the public from fitters like him who are prepared to work illegally and carry out potentially dangerous gas work that could put lives at risk,' he added.