Suspended sentence for County Down illegal gas fitter

An illegal fitter from County Down has been given a suspended prison sentence after carrying out gas work despite having been prohibited from doing so.

Newtownards Magistrates Court heard that Ian Campbell, trading as MGB Gas and Building Services, had replaced a gas boiler at a property in Bangor, County Down, in November 2022 although he was not registered. The installation was subsequently classified At Risk, which means that it was a danger to life or property.

The investigation by HSENI, prosecuting, also found that Mr Campbell was working on gas illegally despite having been prohibited from doing so by HSENI in February 2023.

He was charged with one breach of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 and two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978. He was sentenced to four months in prison for each breach, suspended for three years.

Mr Campbell was ordered pay £1,750 in compensation to the homeowner of the Bangor property, and received additional one-month sentences, suspended for three years for two health and safety offences with which he was charged during a previous court hearing on 12 April 2022. The previous offences also related to unsafe gas work.

HSENI inspector Kiara Blackburn said: “Ian Campbell undertook gas work which he was not registered to do.”