Gardener is jailed after taking money for no work

A ROGUE gardener who took more than £1,500 from a woman but failed to carry out any work has been jailed.

Durham County Council’s Trading Standards team took legal action against Ambrose Fletcher, 32, after the woman contacted the council.

Fletcher’s company, A&F Tree Services, had already cut down conifers in the woman’s garden for a cash payment of £75 when agreed to further work to install artificial grass for a fee of £1,500, with a £240 deposit.

Shortly after, Fletcher requested a further £900 followed by £124 for better quality grass. He then asked for a further £318 for machinery needed, bringing the total paid to £1,582.

However Fletcher failed to show up to do any of the agreed work.

The matter was taken to court where Fletcher’s solicitors submitted several requests for the case to be adjourned due to his ill health, providing letters from his GP as evidence, but the letters were later confirmed as not legitimate.

The case was transferred to Durham Crown Court and, after Fletcher failed to attend, a warrant was issued for his arrest. At the time of the hearing, Fletcher was remanded in custody at HMP Durham, awaiting sentence.

He appeared at Durham Crown Court via a video link and pleaded guilty to charges of theft, possessing criminal property, perverting the course of justice and failing to attend court.

He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and ordered to pay back the full £1,582 in compensation.

Gary Carr, Durham County Council’s strategic regulation manager, said: “We take reports of rogue trading very seriously and will investigate criminal allegations where it is suspected a trader has broken the law.”

Ambrose Fletcher