Rogue trader jailed for charging Stockport pensioner £800 to cut his grass
The 88-year-old was duped out of thousands of pounds
Last updated 2nd Nov 2017
A rogue trader has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for a series of Trading Standards and Fraud offences.
David Collins, aged 42 of Belcamp Lane, Dublin was being investigated by Stockport Council’s Trading Standards team since 2014, following reportshe was taking money from consumers for work that had not been carried out and work of a very poor standard.
An example of Collins business practices include an 88-year-old Stockport resident being charged £800 for grass cutting and weeding work which was valued at £50. The elderly male was then duped into further unnecessary work at the property, being charging a further £1,700 for landscaping work which was valued at £377.
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Mr Collins was subsequently invited for a formal interview regarding these matters on three separate occasions and failed to attend all of them. He later failed to attend Court, resulting in an arrest warrant being issued. Mr Collins then went on the run in Ireland to avoid arrest, being eventually caught at Manchester Airport on 15th September 2017.
Appearing at Stockport Magistrates Court on the same day, Mr Collins pleaded guilty to all 10 charges.
The 42-year-old was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday 2nd November in regards to Trading Standards and Fraud offences.
Councillor Sheila Bailey, Stockport Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said “This is an excellent result and a testament to the hard work of the Council’s Trading Standards team and the Greater Manchester Police in investigating this case. Rogue traders target some of the most vulnerable members of our community and we will not tolerate them in Stockport. Trading Standards will continue to work with Greater Manchester Police to ensure that robust enforcement action is taken against these traders.