Rogue trader handed sentence after "unacceptable" conduct left victim out of pocket

A rogue builder who left a customer thousands of pounds out of pocket after failing to complete any of the work has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Derek Maude, 41, swindled the householder out of more than £4,000 for gardening work that was never started and no materials were ever bought, Teesside Crown Court heard today.

No paperwork or pre contract information, detailing cancellation rights for instance, was ever provided.

Maude received the majority of the payments between February and April 2021, the court was told. An initial payment of £1,000 was requested by the accused to order a summer house for the job, but the summer house never appeared.

Maude, of Rochester Road, Stockton, was given an eight months prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, having previously pleaded guilty to fraud and engaging in an unfair commercial practice under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Maude was also sentenced to 240 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay the victim £2,000.

In mitigation, Maude's representative said his client had used the materials purchased on other jobs as he was trying to "spin plates". The court was told that Maude had suffered with PTSD since leaving the armed forces.  Maude had also refunded £500 to the householder.

Councillor Norma Stephenson, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's, Cabinet Member for Access, Communities & Community Safety, said: "Mr Maude's conduct was simply unacceptable and has caused considerable financial and emotional stress.

"Traders must take their legal obligations seriously or they will very likely find themselves dealing with the consequences in court.

"I hope this serves as a lesson to Mr Maude and as a warning to others that our Trading Standards team robustly investigate reports of fraudulent behaviour."

For help and advice from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Trading Standards team, call 01642 526560 or email trading.standards@stockton.gov.uk

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