A cowboy builder who 'overpromised and underdelivered' has been jailed after leaving damage worth £1m to homes in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Patrick Hartley, 40, from Bacup, Rossendale, took customers' money before moving on to the next job, leaving work unfinished. His actions put families under strain as they took on more debt to have the work put right, Lancs Live reports.
Fraudulent activity
The court heard Hartley stung 13 families in a 30-month period from 2020. His fraudulent activity landed him a prison sentence of three years and nine months.
Judge Andrew Jeffries KC told him: "Any conscientious builder would simply have stopped. You continued to take on fresh work when the truth was you were leaving jobs incomplete and families in a state."
Impact on families
The court heard Hartley was sent written letters and warnings after customers complained about the work. In some cases the builder promised refunds which never came.
Judge Jeffries KC said: "It is hardly surprising that the emotional drain on these families is as crippling as the financial one. It must have been obvious to you the real harm that has been caused."
Victim statements spoke of how families suffered depression and struggled to bring up babies and children with special needs in homes without adequate roofing. Some took refuge in other peoples' homes causing families to live apart.
One family were unable to provide end of life care for their mother as their home was not suitable for her needs. Others described breakdown or near breakdown of their marriages due to the strain of their living conditions.
Payments and sentencing
The court heard Hartley received between £600,000 and £700,000 in payments for the work which was never completed. His victims paid a further £300,000 to £400,000 for remedial work to make good his shoddy workmanship.
Hartley, of Doals Gate, Bacup, pleaded guilty to three regulatory charges of knowingly or recklessly contravening professional diligence and six counts of fraud. He asked for four further regulatory offences to be taken into consideration.
The court heard he had previously had a good reputation as a builder and had many years of success in the building trade. At the time of the offences he was experiencing difficulties in his home life and took on more than he could manage.
Judge Jeffries KC took the difficulties in Hartley's family life into consideration but said the offences were too serious for anything other than an immediate prison sentence. A Proceeds of Crime Hearing will take place in due course.
