An unscrupulous roofer fleeced more than £100,000 from elderly and vulnerable customers which saw him stripping roofs before demanding more money. The work carried out was also found to be unneeded and "unequivocally appalling".
Cornelius Price, 42, carried out a fraudulent business which saw him targeting 17 victims who were "grossly overcharged" for work on their properties which was shoddy or left unfinished. The offending took place between March 2019 and September 2021 in Swansea.
A sentencing hearing at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday heard Price traded under the names A Plan Roofing and Cymru Roofing but would give customers a false name due to his previous convictions for fraud. Prosecutor Lee Reynolds said the defendant would not provide documentation for quotes, would not provide contact details or an address and wouldn't tell customers about a legally required cancellation period.
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The prosecutor added: "He appeared to be a professional contractor and would appear to be caring and sympathetic and would make reference to a particular factor of the consumer that would make him seem vulnerable, like the fact he understood dementia because one of his parents suffered with it. He offered a price for the work which in many cases was unneeded and grossly manufactured." The court heard Price would usually start the work straight away despite the cancellation period, and would demand money immediately as well as large deposits.
Having started the work, Price would leave the property in disarray before demanding more money or finding a bogus reason for more work to be carried out which would be of a considerably higher price than agreed. Customers would feel they had no choice but to agree to the work due to threats by Price and his team that they would walk off the job.
Mr Reynolds said: "Initially the work was seriously exaggerated or not needed at all or the additional work was not needed at all or exaggerated. When the consumer was vulnerable themselves they were even more vulnerable in terms of the condition of the home. The significant escalation in costs were brought about by pressure or fear the roof was leaking and significant damage would be caused. The work was often abysmal and appalling and of little value whatsoever."
It was estimated that the total loss to the victims was £182,000, including fees paid to Price and the costs of rectification to damaged properties. The court also heard some of the offences committed by Price were committed while he was on Crown court bail.
Price, of Pen y Bryn caravan park, Llwynhendy, Llanelli, later pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent business. He has 21 previous convictions made up of 37 offences, mostly concerning offences of dishonesty dating back to 1997.
Defence barrister Adam Butler said his client doesn't have any excuses for his behaviour and accepted he now faced prison as a result of his actions. He said the defendant had told him he was now a grandfather and "too old for this, I need to stop".
Sentencing, Judge Timothy Petts said: "You left 17 victims in a state of extreme distress and the impact on their lives and homes cannot be under estimated. You fleeced them of hundreds and thousands of pounds and the work required to put it right will cost tens of thousand pounds more.
Price was sentenced to five years imprisonment, less the 130 days served on bail. He was also made subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order. A Swansea council spokesman said: “ The decision by the courts to sentence the defendant to a long period in prison reflects the seriousness of this case and the distress his fraudulent activities have caused to many families. The investigations by our trading standards unearthed disturbing practices which were directed towards vulnerable and elderly victims, all of whom, were convinced that they needed urgent repairs to their homes. We are delighted by the outcome and hope that this brings some comfort to the families who have been affected by this case."
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