A rogue builder who carried out shoddy work for a vulnerable resident, who had already fallen victim to a rogue trader has been given a 15-month prison term.

In a case brought against him by Dudley Council’s trading standards, Gary Davies of Cannon Drive, Bilston who traded as G Davies & Son was at Wolverhampton Crown Court on June 9.

He pleaded guilty to carrying out building work which contravened professional diligence and for not issuing cancellation rights to the consumer.

In May 2018 the consumer had contacted Davies after she’d become the victim of a rogue trader, who’d carried out poor quality building work at her home address in Dudley.

Davies promised that he would put right the work carried out by the previous rogue trader, telling her “Don’t worry it won’t be painful, only to your bank account”.

Over the next nine months Davies carried out substantial refurbishment work at the address, charging her £19,760 in the process.

Despite Davies’ assurances, the quality of the work carried out by him was so bad that the consumer’s house was left in an uninhabitable state, and she was forced to live with her children, sleeping on sofas, whilst his work was corrected by other trades people.

The court also heard how Davies had not given the consumer their statutory cancellation rights when he was required to do so.

Davies appeared before HHJ Berlin for sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on June 29. HHJ Berlin said that his conduct was cynical, deliberate, and cruel and a dreadful example of this type of offence.

He said that Davies presented a risk to the public and his offending could only be marked by immediate custody. He sentenced Davies to a total of 15 months in prison. Councillor Ian Bevan, cabinet member for public health, said:

"This is a shocking case, which saw a vulnerable resident targeted twice by shoddy builders. Mr Davies caused a great deal of distress and upheaval to his victim, and I’m pleased the judge chose a custodial sentence.

"Yet again, this sends a clear warning to any rogue trader that we will investigate and won’t hesitate in taking them to court."

Dudley Council’s trading standards also brought a case against the first rogue trader to target this resident. He had to pay fines of more than £3,000.