A LANDSCAPE gardener with a gambling problem that cost him over £45,000 has been jailed for charging customers for work he never did.

Keith Albert Wilson, 41, of Maple Gardens, Sowerby, Thirsk, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation in respect of payments he took from customers to supply materials and undertake landscaping work which was never completed.

Read more: Police provide big update on investigation after woman fell to her death from building

A hearing at York Crown Court was told today (May 12) that the frauds, for amounts between £814 and £5,197, totalled £11,758.

Wilson, who admitted to problem gambling, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment suspended for 18-months after pleading guilty to five counts of fraud.

North Yorkshire County Council’s trading standards service began an investigation into Wilson’s activities after it received complaints from five consumers in Thirsk, Northallerton and York.

Wilson advertised on Facebook as KAW Landscapes, and in one case had been recommended to a consumer by his own partner.

The court heard that Wilson had gambled £45,583.31 over a seven-month period.

Wilson said that he had intended to complete the work when he took the money but accepted he had not been honest with the customers when they asked for money to be returned when work was not completed.

The Northern Echo: Unfinished work at one of Wilson's victim's propertyUnfinished work at one of Wilson's victim's property

Sentencing Wilson, His Honour Judge Hickey said: “Every person is entitled to believe a builder will turn up and carry out work.”

Having heard personal statements from victims, HHJ Hickey awarded compensation to be paid in full to each complainant at the rate of £400 per month.

He said to Wilson: “I’m not going to send you to custody today.

"It’s not appropriate. You’re not a risk to the public and you are capable of working and repaying the community.”

Wilson will have to complete a community order with 150 hours of unpaid work and 25 days’ rehabilitation order.

Read more: Revealed: Plans for first family dog training holiday centre in the North

Matt O’Neill, assistant director for Trading Standards at North Yorkshire County Council, said: “Consumers place a great deal of trust in tradespeople when they hand over their hard-earned cash as a deposit for work or building supplies.

"It is unacceptable that some traders then treat that money as their own without completing work or supplying materials.

“We are pleased that the court has recognised the impact that such offending has on the affected consumers in the sentence passed today.”

 

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated North Yorkshire Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054