Sponsored by
Gas fitter put scores at risk
A NEGLIGENT gas fitter who killed a Barnsley man with a botched boiler installation put scores of other lives at risk with his criminally shoddy work, The Star can reveal.
James Charlton, who repeatedly cut corners to save cash, was yesterday jailed for five years after Mark Ellis died of carbon monoxide poisoning at home in Dodworth.
Jurors unanimously found Charlton guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence and breaching gas safety regulation.
Sheffield Crown Court was told of six other examples of dangerous, risky or substandard work found by inspectors who examined 146 of Charlton's installations in the wake of Mr Ellis' death in February 2008.
After the trial police revealed the true, horrifying, extent of Charlton's negligence.
Of the 146 boiler jobs he carried out, 44 were immediately dangerous or risky and almost 100 were not up to standard. Only five had no defects, according to detectives.
The six examples revealed in court were chosen merely to simplify the case, after an investigation lasting three years.
Sentencing, Judge Roger Keen QC said Charlton had showed an indifference to the risks to life that "bordered on callousness".
And, in an attempt to save his skin, he had made girlfriend, Josephine Shaw – a former colleague of Mr Ellis' – lie on oath. In the witness box she contradicted her police statement and denied ever "nagging" him to register his installations with regulator Corgi.
Judge Keen said: "You have shown not a shred of pity for Mark Ellis, no remorse at all. I am satisfied this is not the only example of poor work. In the past you have been guilty of cost-cutting and time-saving at the expense of customer safety. There are a number of examples of substandard work where there was a serious danger to the inhabitants.
"You were employed to fit boilers in homes and you were aware of the clear and obvious risks of death if work was not done properly."
The court heard Mr Ellis died 12 weeks after Charlton installed a boiler at his home on Hawthorne Crescent, Dodworth. Investigators found the flue pipe was not connected properly, allowing deadly carbon monoxide to fill the house.
Judge Keen said: "It was about as bad an error as could be made. It's difficult to envisage how it could fall further short of proper standards.
"Of course you did not intend the consequences, but from the day of Mr Ellis' death you have done everything you can to save yourself.
"Once you realised it was solely your fault you tried to shift responsibility, even blaming your apprentice. And you decided to call evidence from the lady with whom you live, a probation officer, knowing she would lie on your behalf."
Judge Keen said Mr Ellis, also a probation officer, was "much loved and socially gifted, and admired by friends and family who were devastated by his death".
The trial was attended by family, including sisters Joan Tye and Ann Hirst and brother Leonard Ellis.
In a statement after the trial they said Mark's death had left a massive void in their lives and Charlton's "cowardly behaviour" had been "deeply upsetting".
Ms Tye said: "Mark fought all his life for justice and fairness and we hope the verdict will help protect the lives of others.
"Mark lived life to the full and he will be remembered as a person of warmth and integrity who brought joy to the lives of others.
"We want to thank the police team that worked on this case for their professionalism.
"We would also like everyone to note the dangers of carbon monoxide and, in addition to using detectors, be very careful about the gas installer they choose."
Det Sgt Steve Trigg, who led the investigation, said Charlton, aged 31, of Hade Edge, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, never accepted his work was shoddy, despite damning verdicts from a string of Corgi inspectors.
He said: "Throughout the trial he was interested only in looking after himself, so much so he said he was the victim because he had been in police custody for hours before his interview.
"It was all about him and never about his victim.
"I'm really pleased justice has been done, particularly in respect of the family who have been patient throughout this lengthy investigation."
CLICK HERE FOR The Star subscription offer. Use offer code STAOP0001 to get 25% off.
Follow The Star on Twitter and Facebook:
For breaking news and sport follow The Star on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sheffieldstar and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sheffieldstar .
JOIN THE STAR READER PANEL: The Star is YOUR newspaper, so tell us what you think about it and what you want to see - CLICK HERE.
Don't miss our daily pull-outs - only in the The Star: Monday Star Sport, Tuesday Class Act; Wednesday Business; Thursday Grassroots; Friday Time Out; Saturday Retro. Subscribe to The Star - CLICK HERE
READ MORE
Join the Star reader panel
Main news index
Your letters
Features
South Yorkshire's environmental news
Kids Zone
More business news
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Latest sport
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
