Rogue trader jailed for defrauding elderly and vulnerable south Warwickshire resident of more than £93,000
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A rogue trader who defrauded an elderly and vulnerable south Warwickshire resident of more than £93,000 has been jailed.
Between 2017 and 2018, Alex Daniel Martin who traded as Ideal Home Systems Limited in Sway, Dorset, made multiple visits to the victim’s home, despite Mr Martin living 200 miles away.
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Hide AdThe 30-year-old man, of Rosehill Drive, Bransgore, Dorset, repeatedly scammed the vulnerable resident, charging her exorbitant amounts for work he told her he had carried out to her roof, including cleaning, the application of an anti-fungal spray and repointing.
The victim also made a large upfront payment for a ‘bespoke driveway’. An expert surveyor concluded that the only evidence of any work being done was that the guttering and downpipes were clear, and that a wall may have been cleaned.
The value of this work was described as ‘negligible’. It transpired that Martin was using the victim’s money to fund a substantial gambling habit.
The prosecution was brought by Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service following an investigation in August 2018 after they received a complaint about the trader from a family member of the victim.
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Hide AdOn Monday June 13 at Warwick Crown Court Martin was sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to two offences under the Fraud Act 2006 and one offence under the Companies Act 2006 at an earlier hearing.
A Criminal Behaviour Order was also imposed for a five year period which will come to an end on June 12, 2027. The defendant was ordered to pay a victim surcharge and £10,000 prosecution costs.
When Warwickshire Trading Standards launched their investigation, Martin began to pay back the money he had taken from the victim. At court he was ordered to pay the balance owed of £4,900.
Martin was already banned from being a company director.
In mitigation, Jamie Gammon, representing Martin, stated that his client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, was paying the money back that he had taken and had sought help for his gambling issues.