A suspended prison sentence has been given to the owner of a West Midlands supplier of catering equipment who carried out illegal and dangerous gas work at two fish bars in East Anglia.
Richard Stowe, the sole director of Black Country Ranges Ltd was also given 240 hours of unpaid community work after he exposed staff, visitors and customers to the risk of explosion and injury, after leaving gas appliances in an 'immediately' dangerous condition.

On 25 March, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Mr Stowe for serious breaches of the gas safety regulations after his sub-standard work was uncovered at Nino's fish bar in Marham, Norfolk, and Duke's fish bar in Chelmsford, Essex in 2011.

Chelmsford Magistrates' Court heard that in one of the cases, Mr Stowe took parts of the gas range away to prevent its use until bills were settled and even installed a device to disconnect the frying range remotely from his mobile phone.

The HSE investigation found the ranges were fitted by Mr Stowe in May and August 2011 despite the fact that he was not Gas Safe registered. After problems with the installations at both fish bars, the work was inspected by Gas Safe registered engineers.

Both ranges were found to present an immediate risk to the users and customers and had to be disconnected, one before it was even put into commercial use. The appliances themselves were not compliant with European standards or BSI approved.

Much of the work at the two fish bars had to be completely redone, incurring significant additional costs for the owners.

Mr Stowe was given a five month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 240 hours of community work after pleading guilty to two breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and one breach of the Health and Safety At Work etc Act 1974. He was also ordered to pay a £1,000 contribution towards costs.