HSE prosecutes serial gas cowboy (England)

A serial gas offender who carried out illegal gas installations, has been handed a suspended jail sentence following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Ryan Thorpe faces eight months imprisonment - suspended for two years - if he fails to stop carrying out illegal gas work, after pleading guilty to eight separate breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. 

The prosecution relates to work carried out at two addresses in Goole, last year. 

In July last year, Thorpe, who was not Gas Safe registered, illegally removed and fitted a new boiler at a home in Goole, East Yorkshire. 

In August, Thorpe removed and installed a gas appliance at another house in Goole. During this job he failed to seal the joint on a pipe from the gas meter correctly, causing a gas leak which was so serious, the gas supply had to be shut off. 

When called back to the address in September, he illegally reinstated the supply. 

On March 23 at Pontefract Magistrates court, Thorpe was ordered to pay £500 costs. 

"Ryan Thorpe put a number of his clients' lives at risk by illegally carrying out gas work. In one such case his work led to a gas leak, which could have had devastating consequences", said HSE Inspector Andrew Denison. 

The inspector added: "Mr Thorpe blatantly disregarded the law by carrying out work without a valid Gas Safe registration and the appropriate competencies. The law clearly states that anyone carrying out gas work must be appropriately qualified and accredited. HSE will not hesitate to take action against anyone found to be carrying out this work illegally and endangering lives."