A rogue builder described as one of the most prolific fraudsters ever prosecuted by Lancashire County Council Trading Standards has been jailed after conning homeowners across Lancashire and Greater Manchester out of nearly £1 million.
Patrick Damien Hartley, 51, of Weir, Rossendale, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court today (August 28) after targeting 13 households across the North West, including in Bacup, Rawtenstall, Oldham, Tameside, Sale, Bury, Bolton and Stockport.
The case involved almost £700,000 paid to Hartley and around £1 million in losses once the cost of remedial work and finishing abandoned projects was taken into account.
Hartley's sentencing came on the same day the Government unveiled new measures aimed at tackling rogue traders and "cowboy builders".
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said too many homeowners were being left out of pocket after paying large deposits for work that was never completed, announcing plans for customers' money to be held securely and released in stages as building work progresses.
The builder, known as Paddy, repeatedly took on jobs worth tens of thousands of pounds, only to leave work unfinished, carry out substandard construction or make false promises about when projects would be completed.
Among his victims was a Rawtenstall woman who had previously been scammed by another builder who disappeared with a £12,000 deposit.
Presenting himself as her "knight in shining armour", Hartley agreed in January 2021 to build a two-storey extension.
She paid him £59,406, but little of the work was completed. Hartley promised to repay her £12,000 a month, but after she received just £3,250, he was declared bankrupt.
More than two years after work began, the property remained uninhabitable, and she was forced to borrow almost £80,000 to complete the build.
Another victim was a Bacup couple who wanted to create space in their home so they could care for an elderly relative during her final months.
They accepted Hartley's £74,000 quote for a two-storey extension and driveway while the woman's mother was gravely ill.
Despite paying £55,800, only about 13 per cent of the planned work was completed.
As a result, the woman's mother spent her final days in the front room of the house without heating or hot water.
The couple later had to take out a further £30,000 loan to finish the project themselves.
Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Jeffries said Hartley's offending involved building work that he promised, started and then failed to complete.
He said the case featured substandard workmanship, abandoned projects, and false statements made to customers.
The judge said Hartley became overextended and ran into personal financial difficulties, but continued taking on new contracts despite knowing existing jobs were unfinished.
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He told him he received large sums of money, overpromised, underdelivered and often avoided customers when they raised legitimate complaints.
Judge Jeffries said there were more victims than the 13 households listed in the case because entire families suffered as a result of the offending, which took place over a 30-month period.
He said many victim impact statements referred to relationship breakdowns, depression, families living in homes without roofs, people missing work because of stress and disputes with neighbours caused by unfinished building sites.
As well as imposing a jail sentence of three years and nine months, the judge made Hartley subject to a seven-year Criminal Behaviour Order.
It prevents him from directly or indirectly carrying out management functions connected to building work, although it does not stop him working as a builder for somebody else.
A Proceeds of Crime Act investigation will now follow to recover his ill-gotten gains.
Cllr Joshua Roberts, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for rural affairs, environment and communities, said: "Patrick Hartley is one of the most prolific, heartless fraudsters that we have come across and could well be the most serious example of rogue trading that Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards has ever prosecuted.
"He deliberately preyed on consumers at some of their most vulnerable moments, especially for the victims that he cherry-picked in Bacup and Rawtenstall.
"He showed them no mercy and left them tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket.
"For the couple in Bacup, he cost them the chance to make a much-loved family member's last few months easier. His behaviour was despicable."
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