£500,000 rogue trader jailed for conning customers

Judge Timothy Petts said Joseph Oliver "blighted the later lives of elderly men and women"

A rogue trader who conned homeowners out of more than £500,000 has been jailed for almost five years.

Joseph Oliver, 34, targeted elderly and vulnerable people and persuaded them to undertake "appalling work" on their homes in north Wales and Lancashire.

Mold Crown Court heard 39 victims were left "intimidated and scared" by Oliver.

Oliver, from Blackpool, admitted operating two fraudulent companies over a six-year period and was given a sentence of four years and nine months.

The firms, LJ Property Solutions and Windowseal Limited, initially offered homeowners warranties for windows, doors and conservatories.

But the court heard the warranties themselves were a con, with thousands of pounds often paid for little more than cleaning the windows, prosecutor Lee Reynolds said.

He said the warranties were used as a way into people's homes, where Oliver would then return and persuade victims they needed more work doing.

Victims were told their properties were at risk of water damage or fire and needed immediate work to remedy the problems.

"They were held to ransom. He would pressurise them to have more work done," Mr Reynolds said.

"Victims were treated as cash cows, to whom Mr Oliver would return time and time again."

The court was told Oliver deliberately targeted elderly homeowners who were "particularly vulnerable".

In total, about £5m passed through Oliver's company accounts, with the combined loss of his victims put at £544,300.

"His victims were left feeling ashamed, embarrassed and vulnerable," said Mr Reynolds.

Defence barrister Alex Bennie said Oliver had shown "genuine remorse" for his actions.

In a letter to the judge, Oliver described his own crimes as "hideous" and said they made him "feel sick".

Judge Timothy Petts said Oliver "rinsed" his victims "for as much money as possible".

"Behind every pound is a story of personal misery," said Judge Petts.

"Your victims' homes, that should have been havens of peace, became sources of stress and financial hardship."

Oliver was also disqualified from being a company director for 10 years and will face a proceeds of crime hearing in a bid to recover some of the cash he stole.