Wairarapa plumber fined for breach

A Wairarapa plumber has been fined $500 for breaching drainage and plumbing regulations.

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board took Gary John Groombridge to court over breaching regulations for work done at two separate properties. The board regulates the industry.

Groombridge admitted the charges in Masterton District Court yesterday.

The court was told Groombridge installed 12m of drainage at one property and did some minor work at another, before Christmas last year.

He is a certified plumber and has been for more than a decade but didn't have authorisation for outside drain laying.

He told Judge Peter Butler he believed he was allowed to carry out the work after interpreting a trade standard incorrectly.

"At the time I thought I could," he said. He said he knew now that wasn't the case and he needed to do a course for it.

Groombridge told the judge he was a third generation plumber and a hard worker.

The work he carried out has since passed inspections by Masterton District Council.

Judge Butler said Groombridge admitted breaching the regulations.

He convicted and discharged him for the minor work and convicted and fined him $500 and $130 in court costs on the other charge.