Rogue trader handed suspended jail sentence after victims left more than £10,000 out of pocket

A rogue trader who owned a home improvements company that swindled people out of thousands of pounds - leaving victims feeling "cheated" and "ashamed" - has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Simon Norman Benson, aged 49, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court today (November 9) having previously pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent business carried on by a sole trader.

The court heard that between February and September 2017, Benson's company, Eco Improve, misled 10 customers from across the region into parting with £10,525.

The operation saw Benson, now of Middlesbrough but who lived in Thornaby at the time, and his salesmen cold call householders and demand substantial deposits for a range of home improvements.

They gave customers contracts for work including installing conservatories, replacing windows and resurfacing driveways.

But in the vast majority of cases, work was never started and in cases where it was it was left unfinished or was sub-standard.

The company first came to the attention of Trading Standards teams in March 2017 following a complaint from the family of a man with Alzheimer's disease.

Joint investigations followed and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council secured the conviction of Benson on behalf of the North East Regional Investigations Team.

One victim, who lost a £2,100 upfront deposit for a new conservatory, said they paid it in good faith to help the company's cash flow.

They spent a day clearing out their old conservatory in preparation for the work but were left feeling "gullible", "trusting" and "cheated" when the work was not done.

Another, who handed over a £250 deposit, said: "I have a number of close friends but when they continued to ask when I was getting my windows replaced I eventually told them that I had got the £250 deposit back when this wasn't the case.

"I guess I felt ashamed that I had been fiddled in this way, particularly from someone who was so plausible and apparently trustworthy."

Benson was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to perform 150 hours' unpaid work. A 90-day curfew order was also imposed between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

In mitigation, Benson's representative said he was subject to a number of personal difficulties, that his business was failing from the outset, and that a supplier demanding upfront payments caused his business model to collapse.

Councillor Norma Stephenson, the Council's Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety, said: "The actions of Benson and his company generated a string of complaints to Trading Standards teams across the area.

"They saw Benson and his salesmen demand cash deposits and use all sorts of underhand tactics to get people to part with money, with one being to offer a discount on the total cost of the job if the customer could hand over the cash on the spot.

"Of course, the work wasn't actually carried out and customers were left out of pocket. The victims lost significant sums of money ranging from £150 to £2,840 and it's heartbreaking to read about the impact it's had on them.

"I'd like to thank the Trading Standards officers in this council and neighbouring councils for their tenacious investigations and joint working on this case.

"Our advice to people looking to make home improvements is to get at least three quotes for the work, seek recommendations from friends and family, and take your time on a decision.

"And do not hand over large sums of money upfront - if a company or contractor will only accept cash or asks you to pay a big sum upfront then that is a red flag and you should avoid using them."

Wendy Martin, Director, National Trading Standards, added: "These victims acted in good faith when handing over considerable amounts of money for home improvement work but were left feeling ashamed and angry when it became clear they had been deceived by Benson's company.

"This kind of fraudulent activity has a considerable detrimental impact on victims. As well as the financial loss, their faith in humanity has been severely shaken, and they remain fearful of being taken in by others. Trading Standards works to protect consumers, ensuring these types of crimes do not go unpunished.

"If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a fraud like this, you should report it to the Citizens Advice consumer service helpline by calling 0808 223 1133."

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