‘Sick and twisted’ builders duped customers and got away with £20,000

Two “sick and broken” builders made off with thousands of pounds belonging to their clients after they failed to deliver the work they had promised. Stone mason ‘crooks’ Thomas Shea, 41, and James Stanton, 42, took on new jobs and either never completed them, did a poor job or didn’t commission the materials and did not keep their customers money.

Between late 2021 and spring 2023, the pair have been approached by lodge owners at Retallack Resort and Spa in St Columb Major, Perranarworthal Cricket Club and home owners in Redruth and St Ives to carry out various types of construction and renovation.

Each time, the pair, from the Par area, would agree on a quote price and ask for a deposit. But then the work was either never completed, or attempted, then stopped and abandoned, or done to a really poor standard.

They were caught following a trading standards investigation launched by Cornwall Council and have now appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentencing after being charged with multiple counts of fraud and running a fraudulent business. The pair avoided a prison sentence.

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Jason Beal, prosecuting for Cornwall Council, told the court that Shea and Stanton, either individually or as companies LD Masonry and JS Masonry, would constantly demand more money for materials they would not order, promises to start and finish. data, but disappeared from the workplace and never returned.

When contacted by their victims, the two scammers, who pleaded guilty this week, lied to them only to stop all communication. The pair eventually defrauded their customers of more than £20,000.

Vacation home owners at Retallack Resort said in a victim impact statement that the fraud and mess left at the site by Shea and Stanton came in the wake of the Covid years and affected their ability to rent the properties and receive an income from them.

The Redruth landlord said the experience was extremely upsetting, while the St Ives landlord added: “I was overwhelmed trying to make my house look less than the mess they left behind. My 80 year old father had to help me. to move the remaining materials in the house, I feel sad that I was cheated and fell for these sick scammers.

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Shea and Stanton have previous convictions for similar offenses of fraud, dishonesty and theft, with Stanton previously receiving a seven-year prison sentence at Chichester Crown Court for such offences. Katie Churcher, defending Shea, said he was a qualified person who could complete construction work to a decent standard but “struggled to manage his life”.

She said: “He accepts he can’t handle big jobs where promises made can’t be kept, but smaller jobs he can. He is willing to pay the money, but is asking for more time to do so.”

Hans Dieter Kehler, for Stanton, said he is the main supporter as his wife and mother of their four children does not work. He said Stanton had been trying to get his business back on track after a stint in prison and was therefore “not flush with cash”, adding: “He’s getting on with his life and becoming more responsible.”

His Honor Judge Robert Linford said the irony was that both Shea and Stanton were good stonemasons who could actually do a job to a high standard, but they took on too much work.

He said: “People were let down. The work was done to a poor standard or not done at all. People suffered as a result. Your actions caused heartache to many people. You are both accomplished at your jobs. You knew what to do and how to do it, but the easiest option for you was to take the money and run.

Sentencing the pair to 18 months in prison suspended for two years and 100 hours of unpaid work, Judge Linford also ordered Shea and Stanton to pay back the thousands of pounds they defrauded customers and warned them they are now on the radar of Cornwall Council’s trading standards. and everything they do will be checked.