Jailed: Fraudster took thousands from vulnerable families then left their homes uninhabitable
A cowboy builder who fleeced couples across the region for money to build home extensions that never materialised has been put behind bars.
Adam Jones "systematically" ripped off three West Midlands families who paid him upwards of £55,000 each to carry out work on their homes.
The 39-year-old demanded extra payments on top, behaving in a "bullying" and "aggressive" way when his victims questioned him, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard on Monday.
Jones, of Garden Walk in Gornal, Dudley, took on the contracts through his companies Ark Developments & Construction Limited and Buildgen Limited between late 2018 and early 2021.
His victims reported him after he left them out of pocket and in emotional ruin. He pleaded guilty to two counts of participating in fraudulent business carrying on for a fraudulent purpose.
The first of Jones's victims were retired couple Philippa Carr and her husband, who wanted to renovate their home in Brimfield, near Ludlow in south Shropshire, in December of 2018.
A contract for £60,000 was agreed.
Judge Michael Chambers KC told Jones in court: "You promised that the work would be completed within 12 weeks. They went to Spain for the winter for health reasons.
"You failed to carry out the work at all, or to the standard specified and required. You in effect bullied them to make additional payments.
"The property was left in an uninhabitable state. [It had] a devastating effect. Your fraudulent actions affected them both financially and emotionally."
