Rogue builder jailed after admitting fraud

According to Lincolnshire Police, Jamie Martin, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday, October 29 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £228.

He admitted two offences of fraud between 2021 and 2022 involving two different clients in the Sleaford area, who were both left out of pocket, according to a statement released by Lincolnshire Police.

The force said Martin was supposed to be building a house extension at each property but produced poor quality work, made excuses and did not finish either job.

One customer handed over more than £38,000 for the work at her property in Anwick, near Sleaford, said police.

A second customer paid Martin more than £25,000 for improvements at her home in Sleaford.

Both trusted the 35-year-old and believed he was using the cash for building materials and labour. But Martin made repeated excuses and building control surveyors condemned the work at both properties, police said. Neither customer got a refund and both were left with unfinished projects.

Martin was given a total of three years and two months in prison for the first offence involving the payment of more than £38,000.

He was also sentenced to one year and seven months for the second offence involving payment of more than £25,000, to run concurrently.

Detective Constable Henry Atkinson from Lincolnshire Police led the case and said: “I would like to thank both of Martin’s victims for working with Lincolnshire Police to bring him before the courts. This is a clear reminder that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated in our communities.”

Commenting on the case, a member of the Anwick family affected told the Sleaford Standard: “The original sums lost represent only part of the financial devastation. In our case, the additional borrowing required to complete unfinished building work and rectify defective work has brought the overall financial impact on our family to almost £90,000.

“The consequences have extended far beyond the financial losses, affecting our family life, financial security and wellbeing over a period of several years.

"There has been an enormous amount of stress, uncertainty and disruption to our lives. It is difficult to convey just how far-reaching the consequences of something like this can be, particularly when families are left trying to recover financially while also putting their homes back in order.”

She said: “For five years, my family has worked tirelessly and tenaciously to pursue this matter, gathering evidence, challenging obstacles and refusing to allow what happened to us to go unanswered. It has required extraordinary persistence, considerable personal sacrifice and an unwavering belief that those responsible should be held accountable.

“We recognise that many victims of similar circumstances never see their cases reach a criminal court. Some may feel overwhelmed by the process, discouraged by the difficulties involved or simply lack the emotional and financial resources to continue pursuing a resolution.”

She added: “We would like it to serve as a reminder of the importance of protecting consumers, recognising potentially fraudulent practices and ensuring that victims feel able to speak up, report their experiences and pursue the avenues available to them.

“Our hope is that sharing this case publicly might encourage others not to suffer in silence or feel that they have no recourse when they have been wronged.

“We appreciate that not every case will result in a prosecution or conviction, but we believe that raising awareness, encouraging people to preserve evidence and report suspected wrongdoing, and demonstrating that accountability is possible are all important messages.

“Above all, we hope that bringing this case into the public arena might help prevent other families, particularly older or vulnerable homeowners, from experiencing the same financial and emotional consequences.”