• Poor work carried out deemed ‘immediately dangerous’ and put lives at risk
• Illegal boiler replacement could have resulted in carbon monoxide poisoning.
• All gas work must be carried out by registered person.

A man has been given a suspended prison sentence after he carried out dangerous and illegal gas work on a property in Bournemouth which could have resulted in carbon monoxide poisoning.

David McCallum, 58, trading as McCallum Plumbing & Heating, attended a property in the Dorset town in February 2023. Part of the work carried out saw McCallum relocating a gas boiler and flue. However, following its installation, the homeowners noticed problems with it and had concerns over the standard of the work that had been done.

They arranged for another gas engineer to check the installation. When they arrived, they carried out an inspection and deemed the boiler to be ‘immediately dangerous’. The gas boiler flue was not sealed or correctly positioned which meant that there was a risk of carbon monoxide leaking into the property.

The matter was reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and an investigation found that McCallum had no training in gas work and was not registered with the Gas Safe Register (GSR).

Carrying out gas work without registration is illegal and potentially dangerous, as unqualified work can lead to gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

McCallum knew he should have been registered with GSR to undertake the gas work, as he had previously been a director of a company that had been registered.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require those undertaking gas work to be Gas Safe registered and to hold the relevant qualifications to demonstrate their competence.

Members of the public are reminded that all gas work must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Anyone can check whether an engineer is registered by visiting www.gassaferegister.co.uk or calling 0800 408 5500.

David McCallum of Balston Road, Parkstone, Poole, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(3), 27(1) and 27(5) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay the homeowner compensation of £3,907 and £7,064 in costs at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 13 February 2026.

In addition to this, McCallum was given a six-month electronic monitoring order restricting his movements over the weekends.

HSE inspector Simon Jones said: “David McCallum undertook gas work which he knew he was not registered to do – and his shoddy work replacing the boiler and flue meant there was an immediate danger of carbon monoxide leaking into the property.

“McCallum’s illegal gas work put the lives of innocent homeowners at risk for his own financial gain.

“All gas work must be conducted by registered Gas Safe engineers to ensure the highest standards are met to prevent injury and loss of life. Installers will be prosecuted if they carry out gas work without the proper qualifications.

“I advise all householders to check that anyone they allow to work on the gas supply is gas safe registered. This can be done in just seconds.”

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer, Julian White, HSE advocate, Rowena Goodwin and Paralegal Farhat Basir.

Further information:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.

1. Guidance is available: The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. Relevant guidance can be found at Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) as amended. Approved Code of Practice and guidance – HSE

• Israel Jackson jailed for 12 months for carrying out fraudulent & dangerous gas work.
• Relatives raised concerns after smelling gas following new boiler fitting.
• Jackson was previously prosecuted by HSE in 2015 – and has never been on the Gas Safe register.

A man who fraudulently claimed to be Gas Safe Registered (GSR) has been jailed after his dangerous work put the life of a 90-year-old homeowner at risk.

Israel Jackson, 56, of Sandbach Place, London, was sent by a contracted company to install a new boiler at the elderly man’s home in Croydon in May 2022 after he lied about being qualified to carry out the work. The sole trader has now been jailed for 12 months.

Carrying out gas work without registration is illegal and potentially dangerous, as unqualified work can lead to gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

It is not the first time Jackson has been prosecuted for illegal gas work after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) did so in 2015.

Although he has never been registered, Jackson installed a new boiler at the man’s home and even issued a fraudulent gas safety certificate with a GSR licence number. The pensioner’s relatives raised concerns when they noticed the hot water wasn’t working and there was a smell of gas.

Jackson returned to carry out repairs on more than one occasion – even after a British Gas engineer had issued an ‘immediately dangerous notice’. This included on the day after that action was taken, with Jackson even demanding his taxi fare be paid to come back to the house. While there, he completely ignored the dangerous notice and put the boiler back into use.

It was only in June the following year that another engineer – this time from BT Heating and Property – issued another immediately dangerous notice, before completely replacing the boiler.

GSR inspectors attended the property and found that Jackson was not registered when he installed the boiler in May 2022 and provided the fraudulent certificate. The matter was investigated by HSE, whose inspectors found that he had continued to carry out gas fitting work since his previous conviction and had never registered with GSR.

Jackson had been sent to install the boiler by a company called U-Works Services Ltd. He had told them he was qualified to carry out gas work but the company made no attempt to verify he was GSR registered before sending him out to carry out the work on their behalf. The company was served with an immediate prohibition notice by HSE.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require those undertaking gas work to be Gas Safe registered and to hold the relevant qualifications to demonstrate their competence.

Members of the public are reminded that all gas work must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Anyone can check whether an engineer is registered by visiting www.gassaferegister.co.uk or calling 0800 408 5500.

Jackson pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 3(3) and 3(7) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.  He was jailed for 12 months at Croydon Crown Court on 4 February 2026.

HSE Inspector Lucy Ellison-Dunn said: “Israel Jackson did not think that the law applied to him.

“Despite a previous conviction for the same offence, he continued to carry out gas work and in this case, putting the life of a vulnerable man at risk.

“He fraudulently told people he was a registered gas engineer, despite not having the competence to install the boiler and pipework correctly.

“Customers rightly expect that employers will carry out the proper checks on those they contract to complete work.  It is quick and easy to do this with the Gas Safe Register.

“I would ask all members of the public to verify an engineer’s registration online.”

The investigation was carried out by HM Inspectors Gordon Carson and Lucy Ellison-Dunn and the prosecution brought by HSE lawyer Rebecca Schwartz and paralegal Melissa Wardle.

Further information:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. Guidance on domestic gas health and safety is available.
5. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.