A builder who tricked an elderly man into paying thousands of pounds for unnecessary work on his home has been jailed.

Scum con man William Henry Jones, previously of Butts Field, Hailsham, visited the 91-year-old’s home with his clan of rogue workmen between April and May 2021.

The group carried out dodgy work to the pensioner’s roof and demanded some £19,500 for their troubles during the period.

On one occasion, Jones drove the elderly man to another address to collect his cheque book and then on to a nearby bank to withdraw funds – a round trip of 75 miles.

The pensioner paid over £13,000 in total although he was able to cancel a cheque for £8,000 before it cleared.

A trusted surveyor later visited the property and found Jones’s work to be “a very poor standard and not compliant with relevant standards, regulations or manufacturers’ guidance”.

The cost for the work, had it been necessary and to a good standard, is estimated to be between £4,000 and £5,000.

Remedial work was required to fix Jones’s shoddy work.

At Lewes Crown Court on August 14, Jones, 28, pleaded guilty to one offence of fraud totalling £19,500 contrary to Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006 and one offence of converting criminal property, to the value of £4,000, contrary to Section 327 (1) (c) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Judge Stephen Mooney sentenced Jones to two years and ten months in prison to run concurrently to a sentence already being served for other matters.

Judge Mooney said: “The victim was old and you targeted him. It is absolutely dreadful what you did. You see old people as a cash cow. It’s absolutely despicable and vile.

“You deliberately targeted an elderly man. You demanded £19,500 although the victim’s actual loss was £5,000. There are no mitigating factors. The aggravating facts are very bad.

“I sentence you to 34 months’ immediate custody. You will serve 17 months. If you do this again, I will sentence you to a substantial prison sentence. You deserve very little mercy as you’ve not shown any.”

Trading Standards is now working to recover the money paid out by the victim.

Andy Clooney, East Sussex Trading Standards Team Manager, said: “This was a despicable act of fraud against an elderly and vulnerable resident, who has been left thousands of pounds out of pocket.

“We are pleased Jones has been sentenced to over two and half years in prison for these offences.

“This prosecution should send a message to other rogue traders that we will do everything we can to get justice for our residents.”

READ MORE: Cost-of-living crisis: People warned of increase in rogue traders

It comes as Brighton and Hove City Council warned people last year to be vigilant about rogue builders.

Figures show that unscrupulous traders and scammers cost consumers and homeowners around £3.5 billion every year in the UK.

Former city councillor Zoe John, ex-chairwoman of the licensing committee, said in October that the increase in reports was probably “just the tip of the iceberg".