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Rogue builder lands £10,000 court bill after taking thousands from homeowners

A Black Country builder who took thousands of pounds from customers then failed to finish work on their homes has been ordered to pay £10,000.

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Adrian Jones, of Pensnett, was found guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court

Adrian Jones, of Pensnett, was found guilty of three offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations following a week-long trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Jones failed to provide the required paperwork, including information about statutory rights, to three separate customers in the Sandwell area in May and June 2017. In all three cases, Jones took payment amounting to thousands of pounds and failed to complete the work.

After receiving complaints from three women, Sandwell Council's trading standards team launched an investigation into Jones in July 2017. Officers found that Jones had taken money for plastering, the replacement of kitchens and windows, and, in one case, the completion of a large extension.

In all three cases, he had failed to finish the work as promised – and left the householders distressed and out of pocket.

During the investigation it was also revealed that Jones had previously been convicted by Dudley Trading Standards under similar circumstances.

Jones was sentenced to a 12-month community order of 150 hours unpaid work, and ordered to pay £5,160 in compensation to his victims and £4,840 in prosecution costs within six months at Wolverhampton Crown Court on July 17.

Councillor Farut Shaeen, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for living healthy lives, said: "Rogue traders cause untold distress to their victims and make it more difficult for genuine tradespeople to operate.

"This prosecution sends out a message that we will not tolerate this behaviour in Sandwell.”

Anyone who thinks they have been a victim of a rogue trader should report any incidents to Citizens Advice consumer services on 0345 040506.

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