Pensioner conned out of thousands by builder
BBCAn 85-year-old woman who was conned out of £26,000 by a cowboy builder who made her believe they were friends says she felt "really hurt" and "betrayed".
Michael Connors, trading as Perennial Home Improvements Limit, was handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years at Swindon Crown Court on Friday.
The 29-year-old, ofSycamore Grove in Pinehurst, pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud at an earlier hearing. He was also ordered to pay £18,800 in compensation and £6,000 in costs.
The court heard how Connors had befriended his victim Sheila over a number of years and would often ask if she needed any work done on her home.
On one occasion, in August 2023, the householder asked him to power wash her drive, for which he charged her £1,000 despite not completing the job.
While carrying out the work, Connors claimed he could see a loose tile on the roof and, after investigating, told Sheila she had rats in the attic and needed a new roof.
After already being paid £6,000 in cash the court heard Connors obtained a cheque from his victim for £20,000 - though this was sent back before being cashed after her family demanded it be returned.
He also displayed the logo for the website Checkatrade, which connects members of the public with tradespeople, despite being removed from the scheme the previous year.
Chartered surveyor Tim Davies, of TR Davies Ltd, said there was no evidence of rats or water ingress, concluding the work carried out was "quite abysmal" and undertaken "without even the basic competence or understanding" of roofing works.
Sheila was left with a bill of £12,000 to repair her roof after it had been damaged by Connors.
Swindon Borough Councillor Jim Grant described Connors' actions as a "calculated and exploitative crime".
He urged anyone with concerns about traders in their area to contact Trading Standards and the police.
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