CONMEN builders trawled the region targeting elderly and vulnerable potential victims, a court heard.

But “leading light” Gary Russell and right hand man Dean Thoms are tonight (Friday, September 12) paying the price after being jailed for their activities which milked thousands of pounds from ageing householders.

A third defendant, Aaron Hylton, who left the ‘business’, Energy Efficient Wall Coating (EWC), after a row, and Russell’s partner, Donna Warren, both received suspended sentences for assisting in the scam.

Durham Crown Court heard that they were only brought to book thanks to the vigilance of legitimate builders, Craig Nicholson and Michael Gibson, who became suspicious of their shoddy and unnecessary “repair” work at the home of a woman in her 90s, in Barnard Castle, in August last year.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said their concerns were reported and policed stopped the EWC van leaving the scene.

It contained a large bundle of documents relating to other ‘clients’.

Further documents recovered from the EWC business address, in Stockton, helped police to pinpoint 38 addresses visited by the company, in County Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire.

A chartered surveyor visited 12 of the houses and concluded the repairs were either unnecessary, not of a professional standard, or were not carried out at all.

Some required further work to remedy EWC’s “efforts”.

It emerged Russell targeted elderly customers he knew from a previous job as a canvasser.

Mr Dodds said EWC netted £43,890 from the dozen residents affected, but stood to gain £78,000 once outstanding payments were made.

He said two victims have since died, but others have lost life-savings or have considered moving into sheltered accommodation.

Russell, 36, of Culcross Grove, Stockton, admitted 12 counts of fraud and two of money laundering.

Thoms, 33, of Brettenham Avenue, Middlesbrough, admitted nine fraud charges and two money laundering offences.

Hylton, 26, of Stoneyhurst Avenue, Middlesbrough, admitted four fraud charges and 29-year-old Warren, also of Culcross Grove, admitted one money laundering offence.

Stephen Constantine, for Russell, said his admissions prevented the victims having to come to court.

Robert Mochrie, for Thoms, said he considered himself “an employee” of EWC, was paid £250 a week, mainly for labouring and driving.

Ian Mullarkey, for Hylton, said he believed he was joining a “legitimate” operation and left after only four months.

Catherine Fagin, for Warren, said she assisted with one transaction.

Judge Robert Adams said: “This was undoubtedly a confidence fraud involving the deliberate targeting of a large number of victims.”

Russell was jailed for 42 months and Thoms received a 27 month prison sentence.

Hylton was given a 15 month sentence, suspended for two years, during which he must perform 240 hours’ unpaid work, and pay £3,000 compensation.

Warren received a three-month sentence, suspended for a year.