A COUNCIL electrician told a court he was fired after being convicted of forging electrical quality certificates.

Gordon Clough was giving evidence in the trial of two council employees who allegedly knew that five certificates had been stolen and used in support of a council grant.

Council building surveyor Harry Jackson and Michael Auty, an environmental health technician, arranged for two council electricians -- Clough and Colin Cooper -- to re-wire a house in Park Street, Bolton.

Alhough employed by the council, Clough and Cooper worked on the house, owned by Jackson, as a "foreigner".

Clough said he had known Auty for 18 years and they used to play squash together as well as having contact through work. He was introduced to Jackson by Auty.

Auty asked him and Cooper to re-wire properties owned by Jackson in Harwood, Chorley Old Road and, later, at the Park Street property.

He said he agreed a price for each job as it came up and then, at the end of the work, Auty would visit him at home and pay him.

Jackson, aged 51, of Redcar Road, Little Lever, and 49-year-old Auty, of Inverlael Avenue, Heaton, are on trial at Bolton Crown Court.

Jackson faces seven charges, including using a false instrument, namely an electrical installation certificate, which he knew to be false, and making false and reckless statements during the course of a business.

Auty faces two charges of using a false instrument and handling stolen goods. Both men deny all the charges. Clough and Cooper have already been prosecuted.

The certificates at the heart of the trial are issued to members of the scheme, such as electrical contractors, so that companies and mortgage lenders know a certain standard of work has been achieved.

Jackson decided to convert a house in Park Street from seven bedsits to five self-contained flats, using Auty as foreman, with Cooper and Clough carrying out the electrical work.

But at the end of the work Jackson allegedly told the men that he would not pay them unless they gave him NIC certificates.

Neither Clough nor Cooper was a member, but Bolton Council was, and Cooper stole five NIC certificates to cover the flats, and later a sixth one was taken to cover work at another house.

Jackson submitted five certificates to the council and the grant of £7,100 for electrical work at Park Road was approved and paid out.

The prosecution alleges that both men were aware that the certificates had been stolen and the grant had been obtained by deceit.

Jackson later agreed to carry out work for a friend on her house in Tennis Street and again promised an NIC certificate. The men were reluctant to steal another one but they eventually agreed.

When the missing certificates were discovered both men said they had been duped by Clough and Cooper and did not know the certificates had been stolen.

(Proceeding)