A so-called cowboy builder has been sent to prison after defrauding a family of nearly £100,000 for a home extension he never finished, leaving their property in a dangerous and incomplete state.
The Costly Dream That Turned Into a Nightmare
Andy Clarke, 46, and his wife Lisa, 43, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, paid Michael Parr, now 55, a total of £98,000 to build a new floor on their home. The project, which began in April 2019, was meant to add a fifth bedroom and an extra bathroom.
After initially appearing professional and providing client testimonials, Parr and his team vanished from the site just three months later in July 2019. They left the family's home wrapped in scaffolding, exposed to the weather, and structurally unsound.
"Everything seemed perfectly fine on the face of it," Andy Clarke recalled. "But soon we'd been left with a house that was torn to bits."
Financial and Personal Devastation
The fallout from the botched job was severe. The couple had to secure an additional £150,000 to hire a reputable firm to complete and rectify the poor work. They raised the money through further equity release, loans, and credit cards.
Tragically, they believe the immense stress of the situation was a factor in a miscarriage suffered by Lisa, a teacher, while their home was uninhabitable. The project was not finally completed until August 2022.
A chartered surveyor's report later revealed that only about 30% of the work had been done, and half of that needed redoing due to its dangerous and substandard quality.
Justice Served and a Warning to Others
Michael Parr was sentenced to two years and eight months at Nottingham Crown Court on October 3 after admitting two counts of fraud by false representation. The second charge related to another victim in Northamptonshire who paid over £35,000.
Nottinghamshire Police Detective Constable Carl Miller stated: "Parr conned victims out of considerable sums of money and his deceitful offending had a significant impact upon them." A proceeds of crime hearing is scheduled for January 16, 2026.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Andy Clarke said: "We're pleased to have finally drawn a line under this... If the courts have decided it comes with a prison sentence, it might deter other scammers."
