Rogue Burnley builder who ripped off six victims jailed

His prosecution followed an investigation by the council’s Trading Standards team.

People were left with incomplete roofing work and leaks, taking money for building materials that never arrived and leaving piles of rubbish for consumers to clear themselves, the council said.

It said in some cases, he even applied pressure to make further payments before they were due, by stating that work would stop and obtained jobs by offering empty promises that work would be completed in weeks and delayed them for months.

Some of his victims were still living in turmoil more than a year after the job started, it added.

Pate, of Church Street, was convicted of two counts of engaging in commercial practice which was aggressive and engaging in commercial practice which is a misleading action containing false information under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.