A pair of rogue traders who ripped off vulnerable customers around Bristol to the tune of £250,000 have been jailed. Patrick O'Connor and Patrick O'Brien posed as legitimate roofers to carry out work, sometimes unsolicited, on often elderly people's homes.
But time and time again small jobs escalated into largescale work done quickly. And homeowners who paid them significant bills were left with shoddy work which didn't solve leaks and needed more money to put right.
O'Connor, 33, of Summer Lane in Banwell and O'Brien, 23, of Oak Tree Close in Emerson Green, both pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraudulent trading. They appeared for sentence at Bristol Crown Court today. (October 13, 2022)
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Judge James Patrick jailed O'Connor for four years and O'Brien for two years and eight months. He told them: "There has been considerable detrimental effect on the victims.
"What you did caused them considerable concern. They have lost trust in law-abiding people and have been very significantly upset."
The judge banned both men from trading and disqualified them from being company directors. A hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act later will be fixed to claw back the men's ill-gotten gains.
Alexander Greenwood, prosecuting, said the men used false names and accents when dealing with customers. For some two years their modus operandum was to agree on roofing work, only to escalate the need for more work which was found to be below standard and often caused more damage which had to be put right.
Homeowners exploited included people in the Bristol and surrounding areas. They included residents in Stockwood, Southville, Stapleton and Bradley Stoke.
The court heard Neil Derrick, of South Gloucestershire Trading Standards, had warned the men previously about unsolicited calls on people. O'Conner had a previous like fraud offence on his record, unlike O'Brien.
Simon Kitchen, defending O'Connor, said the father-of-four with a voluntary work background was remorseful. Mr Kitchen said: "His need for money became a priority over his need to do a good job."
Ciaran Rankin, defending O'Brien, said: "He fully accepts he went into this venture with his eyes wide open. He doesn't seek to blame anyone else."
South Gloucestershire Council cabinet member for Trading Standards, councillor Rachael Hunt said: “This has been an extremely wide-ranging investigation and both offenders ignored advice given to them prior to it commencing. Many of the victims of these crimes were elderly and vulnerable and rogue trading is fraudulent behaviour that can devastate victims.
"I firmly agree with the judge in that the actions of this pair were stunningly dishonest; this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated in South Gloucestershire and we will be relentless in our pursuit of any perpetrators operating in this manner to ensure justice is served.”
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