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'Cowboy' builder Mark Jenkins jailed for £1.5m fraud | 'Cowboy' builder Mark Jenkins jailed for £1.5m fraud |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A "cowboy" builder has been jailed for five years for defrauding homeowners of up to £1.5m. | |
Mark Jenkins, also known as Mark Killick and Mark Richards, admitted taking large deposits upfront from customers without completing the work. | Mark Jenkins, also known as Mark Killick and Mark Richards, admitted taking large deposits upfront from customers without completing the work. |
The prosecution argued he took £1.5m, but Jenkins told Bristol Crown Court the figure was about £573,000. | |
A total of 43 homeowners in Bristol, Clevedon, Weston-super-Mare, Merthyr Tydfil, and Cardiff were duped. | A total of 43 homeowners in Bristol, Clevedon, Weston-super-Mare, Merthyr Tydfil, and Cardiff were duped. |
Bombsite kitchens | |
Judge Graham Hume Jones, when handing down the sentence said: "A number of statements were read out in court and the contents of those statements were extremely distressing. | |
"At least two people were in tears. [The victims] tell of saving for years to afford their dream kitchen or extension only to be left with what's been described in some cases as a bombsite. | |
"They tell of pressures put on family relationships and marriages." | |
One of Jenkins' victims was a woman from Fishponds, Bristol, who paid a £20,000 deposit for an extension. | |
She said: "Mark Jenkins left me with a shell on the side of my house and he has ruined my life." | |
Another customer, from Merthyr Tydfil, who gave a £17,000 deposit for an extension said the fraud had brought his marriage "to the brink of collapse". | |
"We are now living with a constant reminder of his deceit and our gullibility," the victim said. | |
'Willing buyers' | |
Jenkins got his bookings for work via the website ratedpeople.com. | |
A spokesman for the firm said: "At no time does ratedpeople.com ever claim to vouch for the (typically) self-employed tradesmen on its site - including in our advertising." | |
The company spokesman also said the website made it very clear it was important for people to make independent checks before hiring someone and to limit advance deposits. | |
The positive reviews about Jenkins' previous work were all genuine and verified by the homeowners who left them, the spokesman added. | |
Det Sgt Adam Smith, of Bristol CID, said it took nine months to build a case against Jenkins. | |
Mr Smith said: "Today's jail sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime. | Mr Smith said: "Today's jail sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime. |
"The victims had their dreams and expectations of seeing their homes improved dashed by the callous actions of a ruthless fraudster, who has been found out. | |
"This was a highly successful example of teamwork at its best by those involved against a rogue trader." | |
Previous bankruptcy | Previous bankruptcy |
During the trial, prosecutors told the court: "There was a constant stream of fabrication and deceit and people thought they were dealing with a bona fide operation when in fact they were dealing with a one-man band - a complete cowboy." | During the trial, prosecutors told the court: "There was a constant stream of fabrication and deceit and people thought they were dealing with a bona fide operation when in fact they were dealing with a one-man band - a complete cowboy." |
Jenkins traded as Pro-Fit Builders, XL Builders and Trade Bookers and also changed his name to cover his tracks. | |
The builder had also failed to tell customers he had been made bankrupt in 2004. | The builder had also failed to tell customers he had been made bankrupt in 2004. |
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