A self-employed builder from Swindon has been fined for carrying out unsafe work on a boiler that exposed an elderly and vulnerable resident to potential danger.

Raj Kumar Bagga was re-roofing a garage at a property on Ashbury Avenue in Swindon between 21 September and 5 November 2012. He removed the boiler's gas flue and later partially pushed it back, leaving a two-centimetre gap.

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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigated, told Swindon Magistrates that the boiler was left functioning until a separate fault occurred. The resident then employed a registered gas engineer who spotted the gap and isolated the boiler.

Mr Bagga was called back to the property and, despite being told he needed to get a registered engineer by the occupant, he pushed the flue back in, having cut a bigger hole.

HSE said Mr Bagga was not competent or registered to carry out any gas work and the fault was only discovered by chance.

Raj Kumar Bagga, of Woodside Avenue, Swindon, pleaded guilty to breaching regulations 3(1), 3(3) and 8(2) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1988. He was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,113.15.

(CD/MH)