A COMPANY boss is facing jail for fleecing tens of thousands of pounds from vulnerable householders who he tricked into buying security systems.

Martin West will return to court early next year to be sentenced for a string of offences under the Trade Descriptions Act.

His North-East company, Catch Monitored Security Ltd, specialised in selling home alarm systems to elderly people, and operated throughout the region.

But a lengthy investigation by North Yorkshire County Council's trading standards officials uncovered evidence of the firm using misleading descriptions and false price indications.

The company has pleaded guilty to 18 charges under the Trade Descriptions Act, and because of his neglect as director, West admitted eight charges.

Former salesman Kevin Paul Rawson was this week jailed for nine months for his role after he pleaded guilty to six charges.

West, of Greta Bridge, County Durham, is expected to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on January 12.

The success of the investigation comes 12 months after The Northern Echo joined forces with trading standards and police to launch the Doorstoppers campaign.

The campaign aims to outlaw cold calling for the purpose of home improvements, and to raise awareness of bogus officials and pressure sales tactics.

Details of the campaign - also backed by utility companies, elderly welfare charities and legitimate building firms - have been discussed in Parliament.

A North Yorkshire County Council spokesman described the investigation into Teesside-based Catch as "significant and difficult".

He said: "These salesmen rarely write things down and their victims are, almost without exception, older people living on their own.

"There has to be a clear distinction between providing a service and milking the system and conning the public."

Among the victims were a 73-year-old woman with short-term memory loss, who handed over £22,000 over a period of three years for alarm systems, upgrades and waranties at her home in Ripon, North Yorkshire.

A 77-year-old man from Hartlepool bought a £600 guarantee and a £1,500 alarm after high-pressure sales techniques; another householder paid £2,000 for an alarm and handed over £1,000 for an upgrade six weeks later.