Bogus worker gave out his own details

Man caught after giving customers his real name

A bungling bogus workman who tried to con two disabled people out of cash was tracked down after giving them a false company name - but his correct personal details.

The couple, and their son, were suspicious when 25-year-old James Burke Hume turned up at their door and offered to carry out some gardening work.

He was unable to provide a business card but gave his name and said his company was One Solution.

Detective work on the internet failed to disclose any information on the company - but newspaper reports revealed he had been convicted of bogus workmantype offences, Perth Sheriff Court was told.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said one of the intended victims suffers from partial paralysis down her left side while her husband has cerebral palsy and can’t talk.

Hume was later apprehended after he called again at the couple’s home in Perth and parked his transit van outside.

He claimed he had bought materials in connection with the gardening work and needed to be paid for them.

But police, who were on routine patrol, were passing the house and spotted him at the front door.

Officers had earlier been alerted by the couple after the accused’s initial visit to their home.

Hume, along with two others who were in the van outside, were allowed to leave while inquiries were made with Trading Standards.

The accused was later traced in the Letham area of the city and was arrested.

Hume, of Nimmo Avenue, admitted contravening Consumer Protection Act legislation by failing to provide a proper trading name and address for his company between August 22 and 25, 2016.

Mr Kermode said that during the accused’s first visit, he had refused to provide a mobile number and had quoted three different prices for the work.

When he left, no formal agreement had been made for any work to be done and no paperwork or identification had been handed over.

Hume had his sentence deferred meantime until January 31 to await the outcome of other matters at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Sheriff William Wood noted that the offence to which Hume had pled guilty didn’t carry a prison sentence and could only be dealt with by way of a fine.

In December, 2015, Hume was jailed for 10 months at Perth Sheriff Court after he preyed on two vulnerable people - one a stroke victim and the other a 75-year-old pensioner - in the run-up to Christmas in a desperate bid to get cash to feed his escalating drug habit.

Hume called on the first victim and demanded £180 after claiming to have cleaned the gutterings at his home.

The householder was sceptical about the work needing to be done as the rones had recently been repaired and re-painted.

But he felt “pressured” into handing over £110 - all the money he had on him at the time, the court was told.

That incident took place on December 11.

Then, on December 22, hard-hearted Hume then targeted the OAP and claimed he was a plumber employed by the council as a subcontractor.

He fabricated a story that he was there to remedy work that hadn’t been completed when the 75-year-old’s kitchen had been refurbished.

He said the council would charge £56 for a call-out but as he was a sub-contractor he asked for £36.

Fortunately some of her family members were present and they didn’t believe him.

The same day, the accused called on a third potential victim and his wife - and tried to con them out of £200.

He claimed that their next door neighbour, a serving prison officer, had paid him £500 to have a tree cut down outside the properties.

Hume asked for £200 from them but they were also suspicious and checked with their neighbour.