A Cornish landlord risked the life of neighbours by carrying out work on a domestic gas boiler despite being unqualified to do so.

Shaun Johnson removed an old gas boiler and replaced it with a new one but used the existing flue, which caused an immediate risk of explosion or of poisonous carbon monoxide gas escaping into the house had the boiler been used.

He was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after inspections identified serious concerns with his illegal fitting.

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Truro Magistrates' Court heard this week that Mr Johnson carried out the work on a home he owned in Addington North, Liskeard, in May this year while his mother, who lives at the property, was away.

Mr Johnson asked a Gas Safe registered engineer to look at the work, but when the engineer saw the connection to the flue, they classified the work as "immediately dangerous" and contacted HSE.

HSE found that Mr Johnson was not a Gas Safe registered engineer and therefore was neither qualified nor legally entitled to work on gas.

Mr Johnson, of Old Road, Liskeard, pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined a total of £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £288.

(CD/IT)