Builder warning as conman jailed

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People are being warned to check builders are reputable after a conman posing as a devout Christian tricked pensioners out of £8,000.

Tudor Davies, 46, from Llanelli, was jailed for four and a half years at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday.

Davies admitted 22 counts of fraud - mostly by taking money for building repairs he failed to carry out.

The Federation of Master Builders said householders should never accept building offers from "cold callers".

"A reputable builder will not come knocking on your door in that way," said the federation's director general Richard Diment.

He said people who wanted to sort out problems with their home, or make improvements, should go to an organisation like his which could provide lists of local reputable builders.

Tudor Davies repeatedly told his victims he was a devout Christian

Mr Diment said anyone could set up as a builder, which was part of the problem.

But anyone in his organisation had to undergo a strict vetting procedure to make sure their business was robust and able to carry out work for their clients.

He said people should also seek recommendations.

"Talk to your friends your neighbours your family," he said.

"Have you found a good builder in the past? Ask to see the work they've done and talk to the other clients they've had, and convince yourself that this is a good builder who'll do you a good job and you'll get value for money and won't get ripped off in any way."

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Davies had targeted homes in the south Wales valleys where he was already trusted by many of his victims.

The court heard he used the good reputation of his brother's respectable firm to gain people's trust, even though Davies had set up on his own.

Absolutely gutted

Davies, who operated mainly in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area, developed a pattern of emphasising his Christian beliefs and family connections to win people's trust.

Sentencing, Judge Patrick Curran QC said Davies' crimes were "truly mean, utterly calculable and, frankly, evil".

One victim, Violet Madge, said Davies was very plausible.

"He called himself a Christian. And you couldn't disbelieve him... but I've since found out that he isn't a Christian," she said.

Seventy-three-year-old Ross Fitzpatrick lost a £450 deposit for work on his house when Davies never came back.

Mr Fitzpatrick said he was "absolutely gutted, annoyed with myself to start with that I'd been taken for a ride by a person so plausible.

"And I've got to be honest with you, really annoyed and angry afterwards and I thought why should I let people like this get away with murder."

The pensioner went to the police who contacted trading standards, and officers compiled a list of pensioners targeted by Davies between October 2006 and June 2007.