Cowboy builder jailed for fraud
THREE VICTIMS LEFT OUT OF POCKET
A COWBOY builder conned three customers out of thousands of pounds – and he has now been jailed for fraud.
David Kemp, 64, of Riversdale Terrace, Sunderland, pocketed money from three people but failed to turn up and complete the work.
Teesside Crown Court heard that on one occasion he damaged property and the customer had to spend over double the amount they had been quoted by him to fix it.
Sue Hirst, prosecuting, said the first customer was left just over £5,000 out of pocket after hiring Kemp to replace her conservatory roof in Stockton.
She said Kemp, who used a different surname on Facebook, quoted them £4,500 for the job.
Ms Hirst said he removed the customer’s roof before telling them he had a sore knee and could not continue. She said the customer inspected his work and was not satisfied with it.
However, after asking for her money back, the customer discovered that he had damaged the conservatory roof and was forced to pay another company £10,388 to replace it.
The court in Middlesbrough heard how a second customer asked Kemp to build a summer house in his garden and replace his lawn with artificial turf.
Ms Hirst said the man paid Kemp £4,600 but he only worked on the property for one day.
Kemp told the man he had kidney problems before later informing him that he was in Essex, following the death of his brother.
He returned to the address and laid some concrete, but did not complete the job.
Ms Hirst said the man was left feeling vulnerable as a result of the defendant’s actions.
She said he described feeling depressed and stressed 24 hours a day and worried about how he would complete the same project minus the money given to Kemp. A third cus
tomer took on Kemp to build a £850 summer house in her garden, with the intention of surprising her children when they returned from their holiday.
Kemp, who was paid £600 by the family, did not arrive to complete the work.
He told the woman he had been held up on another job, before claiming he was in hospital after suffering from a stroke.
The woman asked for her money back but did not receive the cash from Kemp.
In a victim impact statement, read to the court by Ms Hirst, the woman said the incident has spoiled the last few days of her holiday.
She said: “It caused unnecessary upset and disappointment to our children and also left us unable to have a summer house built because we don’t have the funds now.”
The court heard how all three victims were swindled out of cash by Kemp in 2018. He admitted three counts of fraud.
Steven Reed, defending, said: “He does fully accept that he is guilty of these offences.”
He told the court how Kemp had experienced a delay in court proceedings.
Mr Reed said Kemp was interviewed in late 2018 but did not make his first appearance before the lower court until January of this year.
He said he had a history of mental illnesses and has suffered from anxiety and depression.
Mr Reed said Kemp has also suffered neurological issues, following a stroke in 2008.
Judge Paul Watson QC told Kemp: “You have previous convictions, including convictions for fraud. You received a suspended prison sentence in 2015 for a whole variety of fraudulent offences.
“What you did in each of these cases was engage in work on a wholly frivolous, cavalier and reckless basis. It’s had a profound lasting effect on each of these victims.”
Judge Watson QC sentenced Kemp to 15 months in prison.