A ROGUE trader who took over £66,000 from a family to repair their aunt’s house while she was in a care home has been jailed for fraud.
Durham County Council’s community protection service was contacted after Anthony Pounder, of Lime Crescent in Hartlepool, was hired but failed to carry out work to a house in Blackhall Colliery. Pounder, operating as Advanced Roofing and Building, was employed by the homeowner’s niece who wanted work done to her aunt’s home while she was in care to improve the living conditions in anticipation of her moving back into it.
A total of £66,660 was paid to Pounder across 26 bank transfers. However, a few months after work started, the niece visited her aunt’s property and found the house in a state of disarray. Pounder advised her that the works were almost complete. An investigation carried out by the council found that the value of the works which had been carried out was £6,850, and that £34,900 worth of works had not been started. It found little evidence of the money paid to Pounder being spent on building works.
Officers also discovered that some of the work carried out had breached Building Regulations.
Teesside Crown Court heard that the property remained uninhabitable for almost three years until it was sold for a price significantly below its market value due to its condition. Pounder, 40, previously pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and engaging in unfair commercial practice. He was sentenced today to 23 months’ imprisonment, starting immediately.
Gary Carr, Durham County Council’s strategic regulation manager, said: “This is an awful case where a trader acting in a position of trust has taken advantage of a vulnerable resident and their family for financial gain.
“We continue to tackle rogue traders by investigating where it is suspected a trader has broken the law. This case shows that we will take enforcement action where necessary and should serve as a warning to anyone looking to trade fraudulently that they risk significant criminal consequences, including imprisonment, by doing so.
“We would always encourage people to use approved trader schemes, such as Trust Mark, when looking for someone to carry out work. There is also lots of information on our website about how to find a trader and check you can trust them.”
For more information on finding reputable traders, visit www.durham.gov.uk/trustedtraderschemes
If anyone has concerns that they have been a victim of fraud, they can contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133, or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk
