Rogue Horsham builder conned people out of thousands for 'shoddy work'
A rogue Horsham builder who conned thousands of pounds out of people for shoddy work has now been ordered to repay his victims.
West Sussex Trading Standards say that Samuel Luke Kwame Noye, 32, of Millthorpe Road, Horsham, traded as Direct Property Maintenance and misled five homeowners between the ages of 48 and 78 with ‘substandard and overpriced roofing work.’
His fraudulent activities, which began in June 2020, led to charges of money laundering and fraud. In a court hearing in September last year, Noye received a two year suspended sentence and was ordered to return to court for a confiscation order.
And a Proceeds of Crime hearing at Lewes Crown Court has now ruled that he must repay £44,400 within three months as compensation to his five victims. The sum is part of proceeds from money he unlawfully obtained from his deceitful business practices.
The largest individual loss amounted to £21,300, with other victims also being forced to pay additional sums to rectify the poorly done jobs.
Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council cabinet member for community support, said: "Samuel Noye preyed on vulnerable homeowners, misleading them into paying for shoddy and overpriced work.
"The efforts of our Trading Standards team have ensured that we not only brought him to justice but also made sure that his ill-gotten gains are returned to those he defrauded.
"We will continue to use all the powers at our disposal to punish those who engage in illegal activities and to protect residents from falling victims of rogue traders.
"This incident serves as a clear reminder that crime doesn’t pay.”
Residents who suspect they may have fallen victim to rogue traders are encouraged to contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 for advice.