An Enfield-based scaffolder has been prosecuted for repeatedly allowing unsafe work at height to take place at a site in central London.

Greg Pearson, 33, trading as 'Pearsons Scaffolding', pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (6(3), 10(1)) and was given two suspended prison sentences of 10 weeks to run concurrently, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £200 and a victim surcharge of £80.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the scaffolder after a member of the public raised concerns about work being carried out on Tavistock Street.

Three separate complaints, including photographs and videos, were passed to HSE.

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The HSE visited the site twice and discovered the incomplete 15 metre high scaffold was poorly erected, while unsafe work practices were putting employees at risk.

In addition, no measures had been taken to prevent any falling scaffolding equipment hitting members of the public below.

A Prohibition Notice was served by HSE ordering work to be stopped until the scaffold was made safe.

However, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard that Pearson ignored this and other warnings, carrying on regardless.

The court also heard Pearson failed to respond when required to produce documents for inspection during the investigation.

Pearsons Scaffolding's involvement at the site only ended when a second Prohibition Notice was served and the project's contractor decided to take on another scaffolder to complete the work.

HSE Inspector Andrew Verrall-Withers said: "Greg Pearson repeatedly put the lives of other workers and members of the public at risk. He blatantly disregarded all warnings and enforcement action taken against him and it was just good fortune that no one was killed.

"It's vital that law abiding scaffolders have confidence they will not lose work to others who underquote them because they take shortcuts at the expense of safety.

"This case should send a message to other scaffolders that Courts will sentence robustly even when the reckless working practices have thankfully not resulted in serious injuries or fatalities."

(LM/CD)