A rogue gas fitter has been prosecuted for a second time after continuing to carry out illegal gas work without being registered.
Seventy year old Royston Godsell was taken to court by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after he supplied and fitted a gas fire at a home in June 2009, without being registered with the Gas Safe Register.

The fire he fitted failed to work and Godsell was later reported to HSE by a registered engineer.

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 and ordered to pay costs of £1,346.90 on February 22.

Godsell had been warned on several occasions by HSE not to undertake gas work until he was competent and registered to do so and has already been prosecuted by the HSE for gas-related offences.

In July 2008, at Cheltenham Magistrates Court, Godsell was fined £1,000 for 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.

'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' said HSE inspector, Stephan Axt-Simmonds.