A trader has been jailed for five years after scamming a number of victims including an elderly couple living in Timsbury, one of whom suffered with dementia.

After an investigation by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Trading Standards team, Maurice Cole aged 57 of Queens Road, Hook, Hampshire, trading as HSB Roofing Ltd, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on January 6, 2023 after pleading guilty to fraudulent trading along with others at an earlier hearing.

The elderly Bath and North East Somerset residents had been visited at their Timsbury home by Cole in 2016 and had some work done on their roof. He returned in 2019 and persuaded them to have more work done to their roof, and then that work was needed to their chimney, and then that painting was needed. They have lost at least £16,000.

The Trading Standards team investigated the complaint and laid criminal charges against Mr Cole.

However, the case was later transferred to Hampshire Trading Standards who were also prosecuting Mr Cole along with two other individuals for various other fraud offences which included scamming eight other elderly victims together plus other victims of the co-conspirators in a £600,000 fraud.

In sentencing the judge took account of telephone messages between the three defendants which included talk of boosting jobs, targeting old people and pushing things up.

Tim Ball, the council's cabinet member for Planning and Licensing, said after the case:

“This organised crime group preyed on the most vulnerable people in society often targeting the most trusting and easy to exploit. The conviction and sentencing, in this case, reiterate our determination to bring justice for victims and disrupt the activities of rogue traders. We are committed to helping keep people and their money safe from rogue traders."

The trading standards team runs an approved trader scheme called Buy With Confidence where residents can search for local businesses which have been vetted and approved by Trading Standards. Find out more here.

Anyone who thinks they might have fallen victim to a rogue trader should report it to Citizens Advice Consumer Services, who work in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Trading Standards, on 0808 223 1133.