Fraudulent Electrician pleads guilty following Trading Standards investigation

In a case brought to court by Worcestershire Trading Standards, John Robinson, the director of Smart Safe Electrical Limited was sentenced to an 18-month Community Order, with 30 rehabilitation activity days and 200 hours of unpaid work. 

Mr Robinson was also ordered to pay compensation to his victims and a contribution towards the prosecution costs.  An order was also made for his disqualification as a company director.

The court heard how Smart Safe Electrical Limited had falsely advertised in local newspapers using the City & Guilds logo and claiming be a ‘certified electrician’ despite not having the requisite qualifications to make the claims.

The company was found to have carried out ‘notifiable’ electrical work at properties in Kidderminster but failed to advise the householders that they were not registered with a competent person.

Certain electrical works must be notified to the local Building Control department; membership of a competent person scheme allows qualified electricians to self-certify that their work is safe and meets building regulations. 

The company were also found to have used false addresses on paperwork and added an additional cost, claiming it was for VAT when the company was not registered to pay it.

Investigations by Trading Standards also found that Mr Robinson had fraudulently obtained payment services from a mobile credit card machine supplier using a forged trade body membership card.

Councillor Karen May, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said: “The work done by our Trading Standards Officers to protect Worcestershire consumers should not be understated.

“The trading activities of this company were wholly fraudulent and required extensive investigations to uncover. The in-depth investigation carried out by our officers in this case highlights the complex nature of the work they are required to undertake.

“Our Trading Standards Officers actively investigate criminal complaints such as this and will continue to do so to protect the public from this type of fraudulent business activity.”