A MAN who ordered £17,900 worth of clothing garments from a businessman accused of gambling away customers’ cash said he received “excuse after excuse” as to why they never arrived.

London-based Mark Phillips told Teesside Crown Court that said all he ever received from Mike Smallman were some “very cheap, rubbishy” t-shirt samples.

“They were nothing at all like what I asked for," he said. "I would liken it to ordering a panini and being given a ciabatta.”

The clothes shop owner said he ordered 1,200 garments in boys, girls and men’s sizes from Mr Smallman’s Newton Aycliffe-based venture APM Clothing Developments after a meeting with him.

He said he agreed to pay the bill in thirds with the final third to be paid upon collection and it coming from his savings.

Giving evidence via a video link at Mr Smallman’s trial, he said he transferred £5,753 to the defendant in August 2013.

The witness said after a number of delays - and having been sent some “almost child-like” mock-up sketches of his garments - he received the samples which were “beyond rubbish”.

“The stitching was very cheap, very poor and it was nothing like what I had asked him [Mr Smallman] for.

“I spoke to Mike and it was more excuses. He told me he was having a lot of staffing problems and kept promising he would make it right if I could bear with him.”

Mr Phillips said his wife was ill in hospital at the time and having not received the items he ordered, he asked for his money back, only to be told the venture was in difficulty and having financial problems.

Asked by prosecutor Liam O’Brien if he received a refund, he replied: “No, not a penny.” He said Mr Smallman then disappeared and did not respond to phone calls and e-mails.

He described how Mr Smallman told him he had two factories in North London as well as one up North and at that point had no reason to disbelieve him.

Mr Smallman, 52, of Castle Hill, Richmond, North Yorkshire, is accused of using customers’ cash to prop up his ailing firm and to fund a betting habit costing him £10,000 a month.

He denies a series of fraud charges between July 2012 and November 2013 involving the firm and also committed against his former girlfriend.

The trial continues.