A BUILDER whose botched work led to the death of two grandparents from carbon monoxide poisoning has been fined £75,000.


Mohammed Jamil pleaded guilty at an Old Bailey hearing to health and safety violations after Donald O'Sullivan, 73, and his wife Rosetta, 70, died in each other's arms at their home in Matlock Road, Leyton, back in April 2009.
 

Jamil, of Grove Green Road in Leyton, was employed by the couple to raise the height of their garage roof, but during the work he dangerously enclosed the flue part of their boiler.
 

Weeks later the couple were found dead after the deadly gas leaked into their home.


The Health and Safety Executive, which brought the prosecution, said the deaths could have been avoided if the boiler had not been enclosed.


Mr O’Sullivan had three children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, while Mrs O’Sullivan had three children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.


In a statement following the tragedy, their family said: "They will leave a huge void in the lives of so many people, a truly wonderful couple who had so much more to give.


"The tragic and totally needless deaths should not be in vain and hopefully will raise awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning."


HSE inspector Kevin Smith said: "This was a tragic incident that resulted in the unnecessary deaths of a retired couple in their own home as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.


"The builder failed to comply with the standards and regulations relating to gas fittings, which resulted in work that left flues in a dangerous condition, and allowed a colourless, odourless, silent killer to enter the property."


Jamil was also ordered to pay £25,452 in costs and was handed a 12 month community order requiring him to do 150 hours of community service.
 

Paul Johnston, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, said: "Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer to carry out any work on your gas appliances, and remember that other types of work in your home may impact on the safe operation of those appliances."


Following the deaths, red watch manager at Leyton Fire Station, Charles Brown, made an emotional appeal to the public to install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes.


He said: "Their death is a complete tragedy. Carbon monoxide is completely undetectable. They were lying there unconscious when we got there." 


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