A builder was jailed after spending clients’ money on personal luxuries instead of completing contracted construction work.
Then, Covid hit, making things harder, and Smith took on too much work. He did not have enough time to finish it all. He spent customer money on fun things, paying for meals, pubs, and holidays. Smith used other people’s money for his lifestyle.
From 2019 to 2023, he cheated customers by taking their money but not doing the work. Sometimes, he did bad work, and he also lied about buying materials. The court said he owed people £150,000, but the real amount was likely closer to £500,000.
Smith quoted high prices to people, who paid for work on homes and rentals, but he did not complete the jobs. Some had to get new loans. One person paid a deposit for an extension that cost £20,000.
Inspectors found 30 faults in the little work he did, and the homeowner had to rebuild it. Another customer paid £34,000 for a new kitchen and flooring, but the materials never arrived. Her house was open to the weather.
Someone else wanted a loft extension and a new porch at a cottage. It cost over £70,000, but the place was ruined, and the owners had to hire someone else to redo it. A homeowner paid £150,000 for a remodel, making the house unlivable, and they needed a loan to fix it.
Another customer wanted a new roof and kitchen, and Smith asked for more money often. Work started and stopped, and the ordered materials did not arrive. Smith admitted to fraud, breaking the Fraud Act of 2006.
The court said it was not just financial trouble because he enjoyed spending the stolen money. Victims said Smith ruined their lives, forcing one woman to go back to work after they planned to retire. People felt stress and anxiety, and some had mental health issues.
One said he was “duplicitous” and they were “preyed upon.” Smith’s lawyer said he felt bad and would fix things if he could. He had mental health issues after Covid and took on too much work. The lawyer said Smith drank too much and has young kids, including one with autism. Prison would hurt them.
His lawyer said he usually did good work, but he had problems and hid from them. He could not handle bills and was not good at business. He was overstretched and cut corners. The judge said Smith hurt people, causing stress and suffering that could have been avoided, and sentenced him to 28 months in prison.
A council member was upset about the fraud, saying it hurts trust in builders. The sentence should deter others, he said, and that they take fraud seriously.