Shropshire builder jailed for ‘ripping off customers to fund lifestyle’

One victim paid more than £70,000 for a two-storey extension but has been left with a single-storey breeze block shell, investigators said.

His roof was damaged and now leaks water and previously installed solar panels no longer work. Jones’s victim has been quoted up to £130,000 to complete the build.

Two others paid almost £20,000, believing additional work was required to obtain building control approval, which was false and then no extra work was done.

Jones would also send contractors to some homes to carry out the “bare minimum” work to maintain the illusion the job was continuing and thereby justify demands for payment, Trading Standards said.

When customers raised concerns, Jones resorted to intimidation by threatening to withdraw his workers.

Investigators said he was sentenced in June last year to 20 months’ imprisonment for the offences carried out under a different company name.