AN ILLEGAL gas fitter from Poole put lives at risk after carrying out sub-standard work in people’s homes, a court has heard.

Colin Yeatman, who traded under COB Plumbing Ltd, was sentenced for a series of gas safety breaches at Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, April 2.

The 51-year-old fitted a gas boiler, cooker and hot water system at a new property in Poole in 2012 and installed a new boiler at a house in Broadstone in 2010.

However, he was unqualified to carry out work on gas appliances, left gas installations in a dangerous condition and falsely claimed to be a registered gas engineer.

His work put residents at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and of potential fire and explosion within the property, the court was told.

After a prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive, Yeatman, of Gort Road, Poole, pleaded guilty to five breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined a total of £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £500.

COB Plumbing Ltd, of High Street, Poole, pleaded guilty to four breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. The firm was fined a total of £10,000 and ordered to pay £8,056 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Mehtaab Hamid, said: “Mr Yeatman’s actions were quite deliberate.”