Fake fitter’s work caused electric shock, water damage and danger

An illegal gas fitter whose work caused an electric shock to one customer and left another’s boiler in a dangerous condition has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay more than £20,000 in compensation.

Reading Crown Court sentenced Christian Godwin, from Newbury after he had pleaded guilty in January at Reading Magistrates Court to five offences contrary to Regulation 12 of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, and one offence under section 237(4) of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

Trading Standards, which investigated and prosecuted, said Mr Godwin had claimed to be Gas Safe registered but never has been and his customers believed he was registered and qualified. He carried out gas and plumbing work, including installing boilers, for which his customers paid sums ranging from around £2,000 to £4,000. 

The court heard evidence from the victims about the impact Mr Godwin’s actions had on them. One victim was left without heating over the Christmas period after his newly installed boiler was found to be dangerous and unusable by a Gas Safe registered engineer. 

A second victim explained that he and his wife suffered from nausea, dizziness and headaches immediately following their boiler installation. A gas engineer attended, disconnected the gas supply and advised that the boiler should not be used. 

A third victim received an electric shock because of a leak from the hot water tank. Water also came through the ceiling into the living room, causing a large hole and water damage to the walls.

The work he carried out created a real and foreseeable risk of serious injury or death from gas leaks, fire or carbon monoxide poisoning, the court heard.

Mr Godwin operated using a few business names, including Premier Mechanical Solutions and Premier Heat and Cool Limited.

At Reading Crown Court, Christian Godwin was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £20,244 in compensation to his victims. He was disqualified from acting as a company director for three years and required to undertake 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

West Berkshire Council councillor Tom McCann, chair of the Joint Public Protection Committee, said: “This was a serious and calculated course of deception and the consequences for residents could have been catastrophic. Misrepresenting Gas Safe registration is not a minor matter: it is a deliberate act that puts lives at risk.”