A suspected rogue gas fitter has appeared in Newcastle Magistrate’s court, accused of a string of offences by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Alexander Robson, 38, faces 13 allegations, with 12 of them relating to health and safety laws, including illegally replacing gas boilers, installing a gas fire, disconnecting a gas fire, disconnecting a gas cooker and replacing gas pipework.
It’s alleged that Robson was not on the Gas Safety Register when he worked on five properties, falsely claimed to be on the register when he worked at four addresses, completed work that was potentially dangerous on two occasions and also carried on working when issued with a prohibition notice from the HSE. The court also heard that the defendant faced a separate matter of fly-tipping, which was being prosecuted by Gateshead Council.
Iain Jordan, prosecuting for the HSE, said: “The defendant has 12 HSE charges against him for unregistered gas fitting work at five addresses. The period of suspected offending is between June 10 2024 and September 28 2024. The prosecution’s case is that the defendant undertook work at five addresses while not on the Gas Safety Register.
“He had previously been on the register but hadn’t been since February 2024. Furthermore, the prosecution say, at two of those addresses, the work completed was inappropriate and had not been completed in a way that would prevent danger.
“Four of the charges relate to four addresses where the defendant allegedly made false representations when he was claiming to be on the Gas Safety Register when he was not. Finally, the final charge relates to work the defendant allegedly completed at one of the addresses after the HSE had served him with a prohibition notice that said he needed to stop doing work until he was gas safety registered.”
Robson is charged with 12 breaches of the Health and Safety Act, one of depositing controlled waste without a permit and a further allegation of breaching a community order, but because of the complexities in the case against him, the case has been adjourned until May.
