Rogue builder Ronnie Connors jailed over £28,000 fraud

Ronnie Connors pleaded guilty to three counts of aggressive business practice when he appeared in court in 2015

A rogue builder who tried to con a woman out of £28,000, called her for money while he was already behind bars for "aggressive business practices".

Ronald "Ronnie" Connors, 43, started work at Veronica Walsh's Newport home in March 2015 before being jailed.

He said he was away seeing a sick uncle but returned electronically tagged.

Connors admitted fraud at Cardiff Crown Court, including for work on a new roof which had started to leak. He was jailed for 16 months.

The judge Recorder Nicholas Gareth Jones also made an order banning him from approaching residential properties offering services for 10 years.

The court heard in early March 2015 Miss Walsh agreed to pay £12,000 to Connors of Barleystone Driveways for work on her front and back garden.

Connors also told her she needed a new roof, and quoted a further £26,000.

After handing over £14,000 she refused to pay him any more, when her new roof started to leak.

"Very stupidly I agreed to have a new roof, but I didn't have anything in writing," she told BBC Wales.

"I gave him four or five thousand to start - they took me to the bank to get the money, because I didn't have the money, obviously, in the house."

While some work was carried out to a reasonable standard, it later cost her around £3,500 to fix.

Miss Walsh said when Connors "disappeared" as the work was being carried out, his workers told her that he was "visiting his sick uncle in Ireland".

She added: "I was put on the phone to him and he said 'it's terrible over here my uncle is so ill' but I could hear all this clanging and banging of doors.

"I thought 'what a noisy hospital', but as it turned out he was actually in Cardiff prison.

"He later appeared at the house and I looked down and he had his prison tag on… I couldn't believe I was so gullible."

Councillor Ray Trueman said action will be taken against rogue traders

She later found out he had been jailed for 15 months for aggressive business practices.

Miss Walsh said she was made to feel "more secure" by Newport Trading Standards officers after they approached her as part of an investigation, which resulted in the court case.

Councillor Ray Truman, cabinet member for licensing and regulation at Newport council, said he was "shocked" by the case.

"I would always advise people that if they have any doubts about the credibility of anyone knocking their doors they should think twice about it and there's plenty of advice available from Trading Standards.

"If council's are aware of this sort of thing they will take action - if proven - they will take action."