Peterlee trader must make £300 compensation payments over 24 months

It means Paul Christopher Devine will meet little more than half the outstanding money owed to his victims, who he failed to complete jobs for, and, in some cases, did not even start the requested task.

The 25-year-old defendant was trading as Devine Roofing and Property Maintenance when he took upfront payments for work and required materials.

Following a string of queries from angry customers either short-changed or not refunded a penny, complaints were made to both Durham Police and to the county council’s trading standards department.

Read more: County Durham builder left six customers out of pocket by £17k total

Arsing from the two bodies’ separate investigations, the defendant, of Cumbrian Way, Peterlee, faced seven charges, five brought by the council and two by the police.

He admitted two counts of theft and five of being a trader engaging in misleading commercial practices.

Devine was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, on each count concurrently, with an order to complete 30 rehabilitation activity days overseen by the Probation Service, and carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work.

Proceeds of crime (POCA) inquiries were put in place by the sentencing judge, Judge James Adkin, with a view to a hearing in May.

But the case came back to court on Monday (March 27) to be “mentioned”, but with the defendant requested to attend the hearing.

Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, said the Crown has now decided not to pursue the POCA inquiry, but to request a compensation order against the defendant.

He said Devine’s victims remain £13,500 out of pocket and, after examining his means, the defence has offered a monthly payment of £300 from his earnings.

Judge Adkin said in his view the maximum time to allow a compensation order to run is two years.

Mr Pettengell said on that basis, if the monthly payments are maintained at the £300 rate over two years it would allow for the recovery of a total of £7,200.

He said this breaks down to about £1,440 each for the five outstanding victims.

Judge Adkin, therefore, made the compensation order in the sum of £7,200 over two years, at the rate of £300 per month, with the first payment on May 1.

Read more: Rogue roofer from Shildon jailed for ripping off vulnerable resident

He told the defendant it would be enforced like a fine and should he find himself out of work he would have to go back to court.

But the judge added that in the circumstances, as compensating the victims is the priority, he would not make a statutory court surcharge in the case.

Speaking after the earlier sentencing hearing, Joanne Waller, who heads the council’s community protection services section, said: “Devine’s actions have not only left a number of customers counting the cost but also damaged their faith in trades people as a result.

Read next:

* Rogue builder and gardener from Hetton-le-Hole jailed for fraud

* Equipment was stolen from property rented by film crew

* Fraudulent CIU worker benefited by £32k from her crime

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“They also caused a great deal of distress to those people who had paid in good faith and rightly expected work to be carried out as agreed.

“I hope this case serves as a warning to any rogue traders who are thinking about operating across County Durham, as we will always take action against those who have scammed residents.”

* Anyone with concerns about a trader and the work they have carried out, or failed to carry out, is advised to contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, on (03454) 040506.