A “COWBOY” roofer who conned elderly residents out of more than £26,000 has been jailed for eight months.

John Gray’s company Roof Reviver Ltd tricked vulnerable pensioners into parting with thousands of pounds for a special roof paint touted as an affordable alternative to having damaged roofing repaired.

He also claimed the paint helped insulate properties and reduced energy bills.

Gray, 27, of Old Bath Road, Colnbrook, Berkshire, targeted ten victims all aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s across Worthing, Bognor, Eastbourne, Heathfield, Pagham and Seaford. Among them was Joan Davies.

His company, originally based in Essex before moving to Newhaven, targeted victims via leaflet drops and homes visits between May and October 2012.

Gray, who admitted fraudulent trading, appeared at Lewes Crown Court for sentencing yesterday after an investigation by East Sussex Trading Standards.

James Lachkovic, defending, asked the judge for a suspended sentence so Mr Gray could continue working in his current job, which he has held since June 2014, and therefore pay back his victims.

But Judge Richard Haywood made it clear that Gray had made no effort to pay back any money so far.

He said: “This case is one of absolute fraud, a tin of paint sold through fear with the assessment these vulnerable people needed a new roof.

“He is a cowboy and we all know what cowboys get up to. His victims had people clambering on their roofs, relying on them to be honest about what they saw. They were sitting targets.”

The court was told one of Gray’s young children was in poor health, but Judge Haywood confirmed the child’s mother was in a position to care for them properly in his absence.

As well as his eight month jail term, Gray was banned from being a company director for five years.

East Sussex Trading Standards will now be applying for a compensation order in an effort to recover some of the money lost by victims. They will also seek a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act which would allow money made from Gray’s criminal lifestyle to be seized.

Sandra Thornton, of East Sussex Trading Standards, said: “We’re very pleased with the verdict. His sentence was a fair reflection of the financial and psychological harm that Gray caused his victims.

“His business defrauded people into thinking they needed unnecessary repair work carried out.

“When somebody is targeted in their own homes like this it can be very distressing. Elderly people can be very trusting and they believe what’s being told to them. To find out what they believe is not the case can have a very negative effect on them. They have in effect been robbed in their own homes.”

MOTHER 'WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO SAY NO'

PENSIONER Joan Davies did not just lose £8,000 to conman roofer John Gray – it almost cost her relationship with her daughter.

The 92-year-old was harried into agreeing to extensive work on her Seaford bungalow by Gray after he cold-called her and then turned up on her doorstep.

Her daughter Valmai Goodyear said: “My mother was housebound and in a lot of pain.

“He told her the roof needed replacing but there was nothing wrong with the roof.

“But my mother wasn’t in a position to say no to him, she couldn’t even go out to check the roof.”

He initially quoted her £80,000 to replace the roof and eventually wore Mrs Davies down into agreeing to pay £8,000 for a protective coating.

Mrs Goodyear said: “I had power of attorney and I was her carer, I would see her once a week.

“But I was away for a few days and everything was completed within ten days.

“My mother did not want to tell me, she thought it would be a nice surprise that she had improved the value of the house.”

It took her daughter just a short time on social media to realise her mother had been conned and that the work should have cost no more than £1,000.

Mrs Goodyear said: “My mother did not want to accept she had been conned, she was very upset and hurt by it and angry at me for pointing it out.

“She broke all relationship with me for a time, would hang up the phone on me, it was very distressing for the family.”

Fortunately the family were able to patch up their differences before Mrs Davies’s death on April 29 this year – five weeks too soon to see Gray brought to justice.