In March 2011 environmental health officers from Peterborough City Council visited the Balti Hut take-away in Fitzwilliam Street.
There they found 61-year-old Francesco Vaira of Lincoln Road, Peterborough, carrying out work on the gas appliances.
Questioned, Mr Vaira claimed to be a registered gas fitter, informing officials of a previous project he had worked on in an attempt to convince them he was legitimate.
But, when the council checked his credentials and photograph on the Gas Safe Register website, they discovered Mr Vaira was posing as someone 30 years younger.
Nor was this a one-off incident. The self-employed plumber had carried out similar illegal work on a number of occasions.
As HSE Inspector Stephen Manley pointed out:
“Mr Vaira had been a registered engineer in 2005 so was well aware of his legal requirements. Trying to pose as someone 30 years younger was not only criminal but also silly as he was bound to be discovered.”
Pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 3(7) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 at Peterborough Magistrates' Court Mr Vaira was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £2,094.40.
