The owner of a County Londonderry fireplace business has been given a suspended sentence for carrying out unregistered gas work.

Antrim Magistrates Court heard how Derek Henderson, trading as Henderson Fireplaces, undertook work to install gas fire appliances at eight locations across Northern Ireland between 2010 and 2015.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) found that Mr Henderson was not Gas Safe-registered at the time he carried out the work, and he did not hold the appropriate qualifications to carry out work to install gas fires.

Mr Henderson pleaded guilty to nine gas regulation breaches and was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Linda Murphy, an Inspector with HSENI, said: “Derek Henderson undertook gas work at these premises knowing that he was not registered to carry out the work. It is essential that gas work must be undertaken by trained and competent engineers who are registered with Gas Safe Register to ensure that gas installations are safe.”