Ceredigion: 'Rogue trader' sentenced after charging £4,600 for painting tiles orange
A "rogue trader" has been handed a community order for defrauding a vulnerable customer out of £4,600 by painting part of their roof orange.
Peter Billydean Price, from Kilgetty in Pembrokeshire, pleaded guilty to two fraud offences while trading as 'Priced 2 Improve Property and Landscaping Services'.
Aberystwyth magistrates heard how in January 2022, Price took payments to replace all the ridge tiles on the roof of the victims home in mid Ceredigion.
Instead, Price and his two associates painted the existing ridge tiles orange and could be seen on home CCTV arriving and leaving with paint and painting tools.
The video showed Peter Price and his associates had spent less than three-and-a-half hours at the victim’s home.
The case was brought by Ceredigion County Council’s Public Protection Service.
The Council’s prosecutor said Price, 25, had intended to make a gain for himself by making misleading written promises to the victim to replace all ridge tiles on the property.
A chartered quantity surveyor concluded Price had used orange paint as a way to deceive his victim into believing that new orange clay ridge tiles had been used.
Price’s solicitor stated that his client had relied on an ex-employee who had knowledge of roofing to lead on the job.
Price acknowledged the fee was excessive and was remorseful for his actions.
Ceredigion Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, Councillor Matthew Vaux, said: “At a time when a lot of households are struggling financially, this case shows the valuable work undertaken by the Council's Public Protection Service to protect individuals in our community against rogue traders, and in turn, bringing justice for those affected by these heartless criminals.”
On Thursday 20 July, magistrates sentenced Price to a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work, and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirements days.
He was also ordered to pay £4,081 compensation to the victim, £1,000 prosecution costs, and £95 court surcharge.
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