A builder is serving a community service order for conducting dangerous gas work that posed a serious risk to a Bude pensioner.
Roy Osborne, 54, of Titson, failed to isolate a gas supply when he removed an LPG fire at a rented property in Poughill on behalf of a landlord's agent, meaning gas could have leaked into the property as a result.
He then reinstalled the fire directly onto a carpet without a grate, which created a further fire risk, despite not being Gas Safe registered.
Bodmin Magistrates' Court heard on 5 September that Osborne was contracted during August 2012 by a letting agent to carry out remedial building work to resolve a damp problem at the property.
While he was there the elderly tenant asked him if he could also remove the gas fire grate so she could have a new carpet fitted, and agreed to pay him separately.
The dangerous work was discovered in February 2013 when the landlord employed a Gas Safe registered engineer to conduct an annual gas safety certificate.
Osborne pleaded guilty to three separate breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was given a community service order for 180 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £448 in costs.
Health & Safety Executive inspector Simon Jones, said: "Roy Osborne's illegal gas work created a real risk of fire and explosion in an elderly lady's home, and the consequences could have been fatal.
"He left a gas pipe inadequately capped for seven days and then a gas fire was fitted directly onto a carpet, both of which are clearly dangerous.
"By law, gas work should only be undertaken by a Gas Safe registered engineer, Osborne undertook this work knowing full well that he wasn't qualified or certified to do so."
If you'd like to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the heating and plumbing industry, why not subscribe to our weekly newsletters? Just click the button below and you can ensure all the latest industry news and new product information lands in your inbox every week.