Horsham rogue builder told to repay victims more than £44k
He got them to pay for shoddy and overpriced roofing work
Five victims of a rogue builder from Horsham are set to receive more than £44,000 in compensation for shoddy and overpriced work.
32-year-old Samuel Luke Kwame Noye, of Millthorpe Road, misled homeowners aged between 48 and 78 with substandard roofing repairs, starting in June 2020.
He worked under the name Direct Property Maintenance at the time.
Lewes Crown Court ruled that Noye would need to pay the money to his victims within three months, as part of funds he unlawfully obtained through his deceitful business practices.
Trading Standards claimed one victim ended up losing £21,300, with other victims also being forced to pay additional sums out of pocket to rectify the poorly done jobs.
Noye had previously received a two-year suspended prison sentence for money laundering and fraud offences at a previous hearing in September 2023.
Cllr Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council's cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said,
"Samuel Noye preyed on vulnerable homeowners, misleading them into paying for shoddy and overpriced work.
"The efforts of our Trading Standards team have ensured that we not only brought him to justice but also made sure that his ill-gotten gains are returned to those he defrauded.
"We will continue to use all the powers at our disposal to punish those who engage in illegal activities and to protect residents from falling victims of rogue traders. This incident serves as a clear reminder that crime doesn’t pay.”