Camborne rogue trader duped victims out of £12,500 for shoddy landscaping work
A rogue trader from Cornwall who duped his customers out of £12,500 has been made to "pay for his crimes".
William Shawn Hook, of Roskear, Camborne, failed to deliver landscaping and fencing work, or did it so poorly that it had to be put right by others while trading as Hook Services.
He has been jailed by Truro Crown Court following a prosecution by Cornwall Council's Trading Standards team.
He was sentenced to nine-and-a-half months in prison for fraudulent trading under Section 9 of the Fraud Act 2006. He will serve half of his sentence under licence.
Hook had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing where the court was told how he undertook garden work that was not started or carried out so badly that it had to be rectified.
The offending took place between October 2018 and December 2021.
Hook has yet to refund any of the customers, who were left out of pocket by £12,500.
Cornwall Council's fair trading team manager Gary Webster said: “Despite taking deposits and asking for further money to buy materials, customers saw little evidence of the work progressing.
"His frustrated customers were given numerous excuses and promises of refunds never materialised. Due to current demand, finding a trustworthy trader can be challenging.
"We would urge consumers to consider using the Buy With Confidence Scheme, which gives people access to a list of reliable traders that have been vetted and approved by Trading Standards to ensure that they operate in a legal, honest and fair way.
"Details of approved traders can be found on the Cornwall Council website.”
Councillor Martyn Alvey, the portfolio holder for the environment, said: "This is a great success for the team, and sends out a clear message to all those who may try to target homeowners in Cornwall that we will not rest until you have been made to pay for your crimes."
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…