An unregistered gas installation company and its director have been fined for illegally carrying out work on properties across Lincolnshire.
Lincoln Crown Court heard employees of UK Oil and Gas Ltd, including director, Martyn Crute, carried out gas fittings and service pipework in several domestic properties between 23 February 2008 and 19 November 2008, despite not being registered with the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI).

The company, which operated shops called Embers in Horncastle and Sleaford and has since ceased trading, also installed two gas combination boilers in an unsafe manner potentially risking people's lives.

A large number of complaints were received about work that UK Oil and Gas Limited undertook including concerns from 14 rented properties and one from an elderly couple who had their boiler condemned - costing them hundreds of pounds to fix on top of the original installation costs of more than £2,000.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Martyn Crute for breaching Section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 while UK Oil and Gas Limited of Carre Street, Sleaford were charged with breaching three sections of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

Both parties pleaded guilty and were today given fines totalling £8,000.

Mr Crute was fined £2,000 with £41,000 costs and UK Oil and Gas Ltd was handed a £6,000 fine.

HSE inspector Sarah Jardine said: 'At the time of carrying out the work, Mr Crute's company was not registered with CORGI, and some of the work carried out put residents at risk. As the director of UK Oil and Gas Ltd, Mr Crute misled vulnerable people, abused their trust and undertook work which cost one couple hundreds of pounds to put right and make safe.

'In order to work legally in the UK, gas installers must be registered with the appropriate approved body. It is essential that homes and businesses check this before having work carried out to ensure the job is completed to a high standard and most of all, is safe.'

Corgi has since been replaced with the Gas Safe Register.

Paul Johnston, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, said: 'All gas engineers have to be Gas Safe registered - it's the law, and we work closely with HSE to deal with those that aren't registered. Gas fitters working unregistered like Mr Crute are unfortunately more common than one might think - we estimate they're doing 250,000 illegal jobs each year.

'Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. Our message to everyone is clear - check the engineer's Gas Safe Register ID card before letting them begin work.'