A man has been sentenced after his illegal gas work put the lives of an Ulverston family at risk.
Images above: (l) Lee Lancaster carrying out illegal gas work and (r) The meter box following the gas supply being capped
Lee Lancaster, 38, installed a gas combi boiler and gas pipework at a family home in in February 2024. After completing the work, one of the occupiers smelled gas near their meter box. They contacted Cadent, who identified three different gas leaks. As a result, the gas supply to the house was shut off for six weeks, leaving the family of four without heating or hot water.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was alerted to the incident by Gas Safe following their inspection, which classified the work carried out as Immediately Dangerous. A subsequent investigation by HSE discovered that Mr Lancaster did not hold any qualifications in relation to gas work and was not competent to undertake such work safely. The investigation also found that Mr Lancaster was not on the Gas Safe Register.
Lee Lancaster, of New Market Street, Ulverston, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(1) and 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to a 12-month community order where he must undertake 200 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay £2,000 costs at a hearing at Barrow-in-Furness Magistrates’ Court on 23 January 2026.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Matthew Shepherd said:
“The risks from uncontrolled gas leaks are well known and can be fatal. Mr Lancaster knew he was unqualified and not Gas Safe registered yet still took on this work, putting a family in very real danger. We will not hesitate to take action against anyone undertaking gas work where they are not competent or registered to do so.”
