Fake fitter jailed after breaking prohibition order

A West Midlands plumber has been sent to prison for 12 months after carrying out illegal and unsafe gas work after he had been prohibited from doing so.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that in 2020 and 2021, Daniel Kelly Mountain from Wolverhampton, who is self-employed, installed and worked on gas boilers and carried out gas work when he was not registered. He had also falsely advertised as being registered.

Gas Safe Register investigators found that the work he carried out was unsafe and classified it as Immediately Dangerous and At Risk.

A previous HSE investigation in 2016 resulted in Mr Mountain being warned not to carry out any gas work until he was registered. He was issued with a Prohibition Notice preventing him from carrying out further gas work until he was competent to do so and had become registered. However, Mr Mountain breached the notice and carried out unsafe and illegal gas work at a number of domestic properties across the West Midlands.

Mr Mountain, formerly of Wellington Court, Bilston, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to one breach of Regulation 3(7) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, two breaches of Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and one breach of Section 22 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was sent to prison for 12 months.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Marie-Louise Riley-Roberts said: “Mr Mountain knew that he was not registered to undertake gas work, but still put the occupiers at risk by carrying out the work.

“A gas boiler must be properly commissioned by a competent registered gas engineer before being left operating otherwise you cannot be sure that it is working safely. Please let this be a warning to other rogue gas fitters.”