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BREAKING NEWS: ROGUE GAS FITTER JAILED
A Rogue gas fitter has been sent for prison for six months for falsely claiming to be Corgi registered.
David Mountford, of Lightwood Road, Longton, visited three properties between 2004 and 2007 and carried out life-threatening work.
The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to the offences at North Staffordshire Magistrates Court, in Newcastle, yesterday.
Health and safety executive case officer Janice Dale, prosecuting, said Mr Mountford, pictured, had carried on working illegally despite a previous conviction. He had pleaded guilty on April 29, 2005 to falsely claiming that he was registered with Corgi and was given a community rehabilitation order.
Ms Dale said: "I have no confidence he will give up this lucrative line of work. He has said that at least three times already.
"It is not an isolated incident. It is pre-meditated. He has ignored any action by the court in the past and is carrying out life-threatening work.
"Mr Mountford first came to our attention in March 2003, but we wrote to him under a different name in 2002. We have known him as having three different addresses and two different names."
Ms Dale also told how the Health and Safety Executive had issued Mr Mountford with a prohibition notice preventing him from carrying out gas work.
She said it would have cost Mr Mountford £375 initially to become Corgi registered and around £175 a year after that.
The court heard how on November 16, 2005, Mountford visited a property, in Chaplin Road, Normacot, and claimed to be Corgi certified.
He issued a gas fire safety certificate but failed to see a crack, which health and safety officers say could have proved fatal by allowing gas to escape.
Mountford again deceived customers into thinking he was Corgi-registered on January 21, 2006 at Spice City, Brunswick Street, Newcastle.
On this occasion he used the name David Mansfield.
Mountford also pleaded guilty to two new offences which had come to light since his last appearance in court.
On November 11, 2004 he installed a gas boiler in a property in Ford Street, Leek, and returned to maintain it on October 21, 2007.
Emma Meredith, defending, told how Mr Mountford had got himself involved with the wrong people over the years.
She also stressed how Mr Mountford had given up his manometer - a piece of equipment which gas fitters use to measure pressure - to the Health and Safety Executive to prove he was serious about giving up work.
She said: "He is not a sophisticated individual. For him things have not been straightforward. He did not have any idea of the court's powers.
"Nobody was killed in any of the incidents and he thanks God for that.
"He has got himself involved with certain people over the years. He did not have the opportunity to get away from them.
"He did what he described as the best job that he could.
"He will not be going out to another one."
Derek Walker, chairman of the bench, said: "We have thought long and hard about this matter.
"You will spend six months in prison. Four six-month sentences will run concurrently."
Caroline Williams who had work carried out on her property by Mr Mansfield in 2004 and 2007, said she was overjoyed to hear about the custodial sentence.
The 43-year-old , of Ford Street, Leek, said: "But I think he deserved longer. I have five children he could have killed."
Sent: 12/01/2008
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