Prosecution - EWRB v Harris

On 23 May 2022 Anthony Harris was convicted and sentenced on 2 charges of doing un-authorised prescribed electrical work in the District Court at Christchurch by Judge Couch.

Mr Harris had been undertaking renovation work at a residential property. He offered to remove a night store heater and replace a heated towel rail for the victim, who agreed. In removing the night store heater, Mr Harris simply cut the electrical cabling inside the wall cavity and left the cabling exposed and uncontrolledly conducting electricity with a risk of electrocution and fire. In replacing the heated towel rail Mr Harris incorrectly installed the new cabling into the terminal loop, resulting in the heated towel rail not working.

Mr Harris was fined $2000 for both charges of un-authorised prescribed electrical work. He was further ordered to pay $130 court costs and $260 solicitor’s costs.