Judge orders arrest of missing rogue builder

Police are trying to find a rogue builder who failed to appear at a court hearing where he was jailed.

A judge at Luton Crown Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Johnny Ward, of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, after handing him a 33-month sentence.

Recorder Carl Fain heard Ward, 24, of Greenacres, had targeted older and vulnerable people across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey.

He handed Ward's accomplice, Bernard Mongan, 31, of Toddbury Farm, Little Billington, Leighton Buzzard, a 14-month suspended sentence. Both had been released on bail having admitted conspiracy to defraud at previous hearings.

At the sentencing on Friday, prosecution barrister John Clifford said nearly 30 people had been targeted in 27 incidents between July 2020 and November 2022.

Ward had been involved in 24 incidents which resulted in victims losing about £90,000, he said.

Mongan was involved in 10 incidents which led to victims losing about £50,000.

The judge heard Ward had links to Middlesbrough and may have recently been in Darlington.

The prosecutor said Ward and Mongan had offered to carry out repairs and taken deposits.

He said work was either not done or not completed, in some cases had been unnecessary and property had been damaged.

The victims were aged between 32 and 91 and many were cold called.

Threats had been made in some cases and vulnerable people had been taken to banks and cash machines to get money.

"They were intimidating and they went so far as to make threats and drive victims to banks when they were in a very vulnerable state," said Clifford.

He added that Ward had invited one victim to "take me to court" and claimed any case would be "laughed out of court" because they had "refused to pay for work".

After sentencing, Det Sgt Ann Ward, from Bedfordshire Police's serious fraud investigation unit, said the pair "deliberately targeted members of our community, exploiting trust for their own financial gain".

"Their actions caused significant distress and hardship to victims," she added.

James Scobie KC, representing Ward, told the judge that his client had "no previous history of dishonesty" but accepted he was the prime mover.

He said Ward, who had three children, was dysfunctional, illiterate and on the autism spectrum.

Scobie said Ward had been "brave enough" to accept responsibility for what he had done, but was "too cowardly" to attend sentencing.

Mimma Sabato said her client Mongan was also illiterate, had been paid by Ward and as such was a "worker" who "followed instructions".

She said Mongan, who was married with four children, had "joined" in July 2021 and she disputed he had targeted victims, and had not "threatened or intimidated" anyone.

The judge said there could be further court proceedings aimed at confiscating Ward and Mongan's assets.

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