Cowboy builder Lawrence Martin jailed for five years

One couple, from Alresford, near Winchester, lost £48,794 and had to spend a further £40,000 fixing poor building work carried out by Martin. 

The court heard Martin “misled” them by advising there were rotten timbers in the roof.
He told a querying customer he did not have membership to the Competent Roofer scheme – but that “90 per cent of roofers did not have it either”.

It was heard Martin would “keep finding new work to do” despite “not completing any of the work already paid for”.

Sharon Netley and partner Paul Harris came off worst, losing out on £92,668 and spending £22,000 on remedial costs.

Martin told Mr Harris that if Facebook comments were removed and the complaint to Trading Standards was withdrawn then he would refund the £50,000 – which he never did.

‘Thorough menace’

Defending, Jennifer Brenton said Martin felt remorse and wanted to pass on his apologies to those he had defrauded.

She said his trading “was not fraudulent from the outset”. However, she admitted Martin was “erroneously” identifying work to be done.

Judge Peter Henry said: “He may be incompetent at building, but he is not incompetent at defrauding people.

“There was serious harm caused as evidenced by their victim personal statements.

“The impact upon those has been substantial, not just in terms of financial loss but in terms of health, anxiety and depression and work they have had to do to get their premises repaired properly.

“People like you are a thorough menace – not only giving the building industry a bad name but for causing victims devastating injury.”

Martin was sentenced to five years in jail, of which he will serve half before being released on licence.

He was also made subject of a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order, barring him from any kind of building or roofing work. He will however be allowed to practise as an electrician upon his release.