A father and son team of trickster tradesmen were sentenced on Friday for conning elderly Bury residents into spending thousands of pounds on dodgy building work.
Steven Lee, 49, was jailed for three months and his son Steven Jnr, 27, of Rosemary Lane, Bartle, Preston, was fined for trading as CCS Building Contractors using cold-calling to dupe pensioners out of cash for shoddy building repairs.
A 71-year old victim was conned out of £23,000 of her life savings for poor work to her roof and an 82-year-old man out of £1,500 when he was unable to contact the company when repairs were needed.
Councillor Tony Isherwood, Bury Council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “The victims were targeted because of their age and vulnerability, and one was stripped of her life savings.
“At a time when they should be enjoying their retirement, they have suffered a great deal of distress and financial worries because of Lee and his son.
“Our officers will continue to take action against people like these and protect Bury residents.”
The vulnerable 71-year-old’s family contacted Bury’s trading standards after she was asked for a further £8,000 by the conmen.
Steven Lee Snr had pleaded guilty to five offences at Bury Magistrates Court on February 26 and was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court to a three-month jail term, and ordered to pay compensation totalling more than £25,000 for breaching the Consumer Protection laws.
Steven Lee Jnr also pleaded guilty to two offences in February.
He was sentenced to a two year community order with 150 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £500 costs.
In sentencing, His Honour Judge Davies said these were serious offences against people who were vulnerable.
Angela Lomax of Bury trading standards advised residents to be wary of cold-callers looking for work.
“Consumers should always shop around, obtain at least three quotes, and remember that the cheapest isn’t always the best,” she said.
“You should check out the business, and see if anyone you know is happy with the work they have done on their homes.”
Bury Council operates a Registered Tradesman scheme available at www.bury.gov.uk
Picture courtesy of Images of Money, with thanks.
To keep up to date on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
