A rogue plumber and gas engineer who put lives at risk with his shoddy workmanship has been forced to pay out £8,000. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found work undertaken by Christian Davis that was dangerous and put members of the public "at risk of death or serious injury".
Davis, from Brislington, falsely claimed he was Gas Safe Registered. But he had actually been removed from the register because it was feared that his work was substandard and that he was not competent.
Trading as BS1 Plumbing and Heating, the 45-year-old carried out illegal work as part of the renovation of a mobile park home in Hallen, in South Gloucestershire, between June and July 2020. The work included the installation of pipework, a boiler and a gas hob, deemed unsafe.
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Davis has given up on the plumbing and heating industry and now runs a burger restaurant. The illegal work he undertook resulted in significant expenditure for the property owner.
An investigation by the HSE found that Davis had carried out the work while not registered with the Gas Safe Register. He was handed a 48-week suspended prison sentence and must pay out £8,000 in fines and compensation to his victim.
The District Judge sitting at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on April 17, 2024, told him he "could have killed someone" and that she was relieved to find out he no longer held himself as competent to carry out gas work.
Davis, of Callington Road, Brislington, Bristol pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(1), 3(3) and 3(7) of the Gas Safety (Installation and use) Regulations 1998. His custodial sentence was suspended for two years and he must pay £3,000 in compensation to the homeowner and £5,000 in costs. This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells.
HSE inspector Alex Stobart, who led the investigation, emphasised the risks associated with unqualified gas work, stating: "Those who undertake gas work without the relevant competence or qualifications put members of the public at risk of death or serious injury.
“We will hold rogue gas traders to account. Gas engineers must be registered with the Gas Safe Register, and we encourage the public to verify an engineer's credentials online. Unfortunately rouge traders such as Mr Davis continue to trade and undertake gas work without having the relevant registration, competence, or qualification required to perform gas work safely.”
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