A plumber from Chesterfield has received a 10 month suspended sentence for health and safety failings.

The plumber undertook work on gas appliances at a domestic property when he was not Gas Safe Registered, Northern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court heard on 19 July.

An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred in January 2015, found that the homeowner’s gas safety inspection checks were either not properly carried out or not carried out at all.

The plumber pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He received a 10-month suspended sentence for 18 months and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £5,146 in costs.

For further information on gas safety go to www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic.