Rogue traders that attempted to scam an elderly Reading resident out of more than £5,000 have been sentenced at crown court.
Paul Dennis Mulcahy and Michael Mohan tried to charge their victim £5625 for unnecessary wall coating, re-pointing, and rendering on her home in Wokingham Road.
The fee was more than double the value of the work, which was not up to standard, according a surveyor’s report.
Yet Beryl Levett was required to pay a £1,000 deposit for the work up-front, followed by the remaining balance without having the opportunity to check the trader’s work beforehand.
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Ms Levett said “I am so grateful for the wonderful support I've received during this mission to see justice done.
“I had no idea what I was letting myself in for, but from the very beginning, I’ve been fortunate to have support from the Trading Standards officers.
“While I never expected a financial benefit, I’m very pleased with this conviction and glad that it will spare others from having to go through a similar ordeal with Energy Guard again.”
Charges against Mulcahy and Mohan included engaging in a misleading commercial practice in breach of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
Mulcahy, of Knyveton Road, Bournemouth, and Mohan, of Humbers View in King's Somborne, Hampshire, pleaded guilty on behalf of themselves and their company, Energy Guard Insulation Limited, at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 21 February 2022.
The pair were sentenced on September 23 at Reading Crown Court and Energy Guard Insulation Ltd. was fined a nominal amount of £234. If the Limited company was still trading, it would have faced fines of approximately £5,000 or more for each offence.
Mulcahy received 9 months in prison suspended for 12 months, a 200-hour Community Order, and was ordered to pay Ms Levett £3,600 in compensation.
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Mohan was sentenced to a 160-hour Community Order. Both men were ordered to pay £720 towards the prosecution’s costs, plus the victim surcharge.
Cllr Karen Rowland, Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, said: “These cases highlight the very serious problem with rogue traders targeting our elderly and vulnerable residents and defrauding them into parting with thousands of pounds by making false and misleading claims.
“Fortunately, in this case, work by the Council’s Trading Standards Officers has resulted in a successful prosecution.
"We’d like to extend our thanks to Ms Levett for coming forward and engaging with our officers. It’s vital that people report crimes like this so these dishonest traders can be brought to justice and can’t go on to attempt to defraud others. Because of her action in alerting us, others in our community will not be subjected to these unscrupulous traders.
“Residents are reminded to always thoroughly research any company or business before hiring them to carry out work. Our advice is never to agree to work on the doorstep, especially if it is an unsolicited caller or even if the trader says that it is urgent. If you do need work done on your property, get written quotes from two or three reputable traders and compare them."
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