Gas death risk man in court

An unqualified gas fitter has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after magistrates heard that his work was so poor it could have caused serious injury or death.David Mees, of Ael Y Bryn, Llandinam, who traded as Dee Services, was sentenced at Welshpool Magistrates Court yesterday. He carried out gas-fitting work without being registered with safety watchdog Corgi.

The 44-year-old had previously admitted four trade description offences and nine health and safety offences.

Magistrates ordered him to complete 280 hours of unpaid work and pay prosecution costs of £6,750.

Mr Simon Parrington, prosecuting on behalf of Powys Trading Standards and the Health and Safety Executive, told the court Mees had been operating as an electrical heating and plumbing contractor.

He said the 13 offences had been committed between September 2005 and November 2006 and related to three properties in Powys.

Magistrates heard work carried out by Mees on all three homes was dangerous and could have caused a fire, serious injury or death.

In November 2006 Powys Trading Standards received a complaint about an advertisement placed by Mees in the BT phonebook.

In it, he claimed he was Corgi-registered and officers found he was illegally using a logo claiming to be a member of the Oil Firing Technical Association on his website. The investigation also found Mees had falsely signed a gas certificate.

In May 2006, Mees installed a gas hob and fire for a couple in Caersws, who became concerned the work had not been carried out correctly. The court heard Corgi inspector Paul Dyke examined his work and discovered a catalogue of problems, including two gas leaks.

In November 2006, Mr Dyke also inspected a property in Newtown where Mees had fitted a gas hob, fire and boiler and found a gas leak and other problems.

After Mees featured on a television consumer programme, a Llandrindod Wells family contacted trading standards about work he had done for them.

Mr Paul Inns, for Mees, said his client, a trained electrician, had at the time believed he was competent enough to carry out the gas-fitting works.