Dishonest roofers conned victims out of thousands
TWO “dishonest” tradesman have been jailed after conning their victims out of thousands of pounds.
Mitchell Buckland, 28, and Terry Price, 45, both of Shirenewton, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to three offences relating to being dishonest with their customers.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court yesterday was told the pair worked to repair people’s roofs but tried to overcharge clients on three occasions between November 2019 and November 2020.
Prosecutor Lee Reynolds told the court the pair “significantly embellished” work that allegedly needed to be done at the properties affected.
Mr Reynolds said: “The first victim was Mr Oliver.
“The defendants told him the chimney should be removed and repaired. They told Mr Oliver it would be £7,200. The roof was in a good condition.”
Mr Reynolds told the court there was another instance where the rogue traders overcharged another customer for unnecessary repairs that were estimated to come in at around £8,500. He told the court the customer “agreed to give them £6,400, but refused to give them the rest”.
Describing the traders as “massively dishonest”, Mr Reynolds also explained there was a victim referred to as Mrs Hughes who had fallen victim to the pair’s crime. The court was told Mrs Hughes and her husband were advised work needed to be done, which would cost thousands of pounds.
Mr Reynolds said: “They felt they had no choice but to continue with the work.”
The matter was said to have caused the couple to worry and they feared about how they would pay the sum.
Mr Hughes later died. “This didn’t stop the defendants pressuring Mrs Hughes for more money,” he added.
Mr Reynolds said Mrs Hughes’ victim statement referred to the situation leading to depression and anxiety due to the fact that the couple experienced a total loss of more than £17,000.
Referring to Mrs Hughes’ statement, Mr Reynolds said: “I know my husband would still be alive here today if it wasn’t for the actions of these defendants.”
Cora Sorensen, mitigating on behalf of Buckland, told the court that prior to these offences he was a man of “clean character”.
Ms Sorensen said: “He was a boxer.
He was looking to change that career but instead it’s these circumstances in which he finds himself.”
She also asked if credit could be given for his guilty pleas.
Joshua Scouller, for Price, also asked for credit to be given to the defendant for his plea and said Price accepted his actions caused “upset”.
Judge Huw Rees told the defendants they were “dishonest” in their duties and led to one victim losing up to £17,180 because of their actions.
Judge Rees said: “You caused distress to customers. It seems to me, as far as Mrs Hughes is concerned, that you have been a contributing factor to the distress caused in the following
days by your callous act.”
Judge Rees described the traders’ victims as “vulnerable” and said they were people who “felt they had no choice but to have their roofs repaired”.
Price was sentenced to three years in prison, while Buckland was sentenced to 22 months behind bars.
Councillor Michael Michael, cabinet member responsible for shared regulatory services at Cardiff council, said: “These sentences should send a firm message out to other rogue traders that operate in Cardiff that we will investigate any intelligence that we receive with a view to prosecute these fraudsters through the courts.”