A roofer has been jailed for nine months for carrying out unnecessary and substandard work on the home of an elderly Burry Port woman.
John Gilmore, trading as Everlast Roofing Services, pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court to an offence of fraud in a prosecution brought by Carmarthenshire County Council Trading Standards Service.
The court was told that Gilmore, of Cilcennin, Lampeter, had approached the elderly victim living in the Burry Port area in May 2016, offering to carry out work on the roof of her property. Everlast Roofing Services proceeded to carry out the work, also to include various other tasks to include the painting of the property.
Dyfed Powys Police referred a complaint to Trading Standards who hired the services of a Chartered Surveyor to assess the quality of the work undertaken.
The Surveyor concluded that large aspects of the work had been unnecessary and completed to an extremely poor standard requiring substantial remedial attention.
Due to the nature of the case and his previous convictions, the Judge jailed Gilmore for nine months. Given the custodial sentence he ordered no costs or compensation.
Council executive board member for public protection Cllr Philip Hughes said: “Unfortunately, complaints of this nature involving the exploitation of our elderly and vulnerable in Carmarthenshire are far too common. Our Trading Standards Service regularly receive complaints involving cold calls to our elderly and vulnerable by unskilled personnel offering home improvement work.
“It is pleasing to see that the court in this case has sent a clear message that such unscrupulous behaviour will not be tolerated.
“Our Trading Standards team are to be commended as they continue be proactive in their battle against door step crime and scams.
“The Service prioritises the protection of the elderly and vulnerable within the county under its FESS (Financial Exploitation Safeguarding Scheme). The criminal investigation of such offences is just one of the measures under the scheme aimed at protecting its vulnerable consumers from financial harm.”
The Trading Standards Service has a Registered Traders Scheme. More information can be found on the council’s website www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales
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