A court was told how Paul Bowler's failure to meet gas safety regulations at a block of flats in Eastbourne could have had fatal consequences.

Bowler, of Shepham Lane, Polegate, who manages 24 flats in the Eastbourne area, admitted at Eastbourne breaching gas regulations.

He was fined £12,000 for failing to comply with an improvement order made on flats at Queen's Mansions in Marine Gardens, Eastbourne.

He was also fined £2,500 for failing to ensure gas appliances were checked at the flats between November 1-17 last year, £2,500 for permitting tenants to use appliances in a dangerous condition between the same dates, and a further £2,500 for failing to maintain gas appliances on November 18.

He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £3,823, making a total of £23,323.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Russell Adfield told the court how tenants living in the flats, all of whom were claiming housing benefit, began to complain to Eastbourne Borough Council about the state of various gas appliances in 1996.

The council sent several letters to Mr Bowler reminding him of his responsibilities as a landlord to maintain and check gas appliances. The letters were ignored.

The HSE's letters were also ignored.

In November, the HSE accompanied a registered gas inspector to the flats.

The inspector immediately issued four warning notices stating gas heaters, cookers and a gas flue were unsafe due to the risk of gas leak or the risk of lethal carbon monoxide escaping into the flats.

Finally the HSE sent Mr Bowler an order to improve the appliances. But Mr Bowler failed to comply with the order.

John Tyson, defending Bowler, said he had forwarded all letters from the council and HSE to his management agents who looked after his properties, but they failed to act.

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