Bogus workman’s £150k to f ix roof

He gets three years after targeting victim, 87

A BOGUS workman who conned an elderly man out of nearly £150,000 for roof repairs has been jailed for three years.

Robert Stewart had originally knocked on the 87-year-old’s door and offered to repair the television aerial on his roof.

But the 21-year-old later told the pensioner his roof needed extensive work – which his own company Abbey Roofing & Building would be happy to carry out.

It was the start of an extraordinary extortion operation in which the victim made online payments to the firm totalling £147,460 over a threemonth period.

Only when the pensioner’s bank became suspicious about the payments were police alerted to the rogue trader preying on a vulnerable householder.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told police arranged for two independent surveys on the house. They found the work carried out was shoddy and worth far less than the fee charged. Detectives linked the payments to an account held by Stewart, leading to his arrest and charge in April.

Stewart, whose business address is a gypsy travellers’ campsite on the edge of Dalkeith, Midlothian, had knocked on the pensioner’s door in Prestonfield, Edinburgh, in December last year.

Between then and March this year his firm collected several substantial payments from the octogenarian.

Stewart was found guilty after a trial and sentenced on Thursday.

Detective Sergeant Gary Reid said: ‘Robert Stewart preyed on an elderly man and was able to extort a large sum of money for work that was sub-par and nowhere near the valuation of such repairs.

‘After bank staff observed a pattern in the victim’s payments they became suspicious and reported their concerns to police.

‘We then launched a robust investigation alongside the City of Edinburgh Council’s trading standards department, resulting in Stewart being charged with bogus workmen offences.’

Mr Reid said Stewart’s sentence should send a ‘clear message’ that the law would come down hard on rogue traders who prey on vulnerable victims.

He added: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to remind our communities never to allow unsolicited work to be carried out on your home or property, and to always use individuals or companies you know or trust.

‘In addition, family, friends and neighbours of vulnerable people are asked to be vigilant for any suspicious or unusual activity around their homes and report any concerns they have to police.

‘We are committed to tackling bogus workmen and rogue trader crimes and whenever these incidents are reported to us we will investigate thoroughly to bring those responsible to justice.’

Meanwhile, City of Edinburgh Council’s community safety leader, Cammy Day, said the case should send a warning to all bogus workmen.

He added: ‘Doorstep crime remains one of our top priorities and incidents can be devastating for victims, both financially and in terms of having the confidence to live independently.

‘We must ensure that everyone has the confidence to come forward – every complaint is taken seriously.

‘Consumers must be able to trust what they are told by tradesmen, and we advise the public to use Edinburgh’s Trusted Trader scheme.’

‘Extorted large sums of money’