Driveway rogue trader prosecuted by the Vale of Glamorgan

On 11 August 2011 at Swansea Crown Court Tom Joseph Connors (DOB 26/06/90) trading as Interline Drives was sentenced by Mr Recorder M Bishop QC to a Community Order requiring him to carry out 200 hours unpaid work in a 12 month period. He was ordered to pay £3,300 compensation; and costs of £500 were awarded.

The case had been brought by the Trading Standards Section of the Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council and the Wales Scam Busters Team, based at Newport City Council. Mr Connors, trading as Interline Drives, had previously pleaded guilty, on 24 February 2011 at Cwmbran Magistrates Court, to the rogue trading offences of failing to exercise professional diligence when carrying out building works, engaging in aggressive commercial practices and providing a misleading statement.

During December 2009 and January 2010 Connors carried out work at the home of a Barry resident.  The Barry resident was a female senior citizen, living alone.
She was persuaded to agree to the building of a shed and a wall outside her home.  The total cost of the work was £2,900.

The Vale of Glamorgan Trading Standards Service and the Wales Scam Busters Team carried out the investigation.

Subsequent analysis of the work carried out showed that it was of such poor quality that it required demolition, costing a further £400.  It was also proved that the trader had acted aggressively due to frequent demands for the money; and had misled the resident by falsely promising he would not demand money until the job was completed.

The 4 charges were as follows; 

• Contravening the requirements of professional diligence (Regulation 3(3) (a) of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008)

• Two incidents of engaging in an aggressive commercial practice due to the frequent demands for money and for pressurising the consumer for further building works (Regulation 7 of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008)