‘Unscrupulous’ Polegate trader sent back to prison for failing to repay victim

Patrick Charles Lemmon, 59 and from St Johns Drive in Polegate, conned a pensioner out of £26,000 and was supposed to pay it back, according to Sussex Police.

However, he paid back less than 10 per cent of the money – so he’s been sent back to prison for 336 days.

Police say Lemmon was originally jailed for 42 months after being convicted by a jury for two counts of fraud and seven counts of money laundering in July 2018.

Lemmon, who was trading as Regency Paving Company from a premises in Cooden Sea Road in Bexhill, told his 83-year-old victim that he needed a new conservatory roof and replacement glass panel, police say.

He took five cheques from his victim but never started the work. The victim, from Hastings, received no paperwork.

During an investigation by East Sussex Trading Standards, an independent building surveyor concluded that while the replacement pane of the glass was necessary, the roof of the conservatory did not need replacing.

He said a fair and reasonable cost for both pieces of work combined would have been £1,305 including VAT - far from the £26,000 Lemmon took.

Lemmon appeared at Folkestone Magistrates Court on January 18 having paid just £2,200 back to his victim, police say.

Councillor Bill Bentley, the lead member for communities and safety for East Sussex County Council, said, “A vulnerable pensioner lost tens of thousands of pounds to this unscrupulous trader and officers did everything they could to make sure at least some of the money was returned.

“Despite serving a prison sentence for his crimes, Lemmon has failed to pay back the money owed to his victim and this is simply unacceptable.

“We are pleased that the court has decided to take action and send Lemmon back to prison and hope that this shows him how determined we are to return the money to his victim.”

Police say Lemmon was originally jailed for 42 months after being convicted by a jury for two counts of fraud and seven counts of money laundering in July 2018.

If you or someone you know is vulnerable and has been a victim of fraud contact Sussex Police on 101.

To report fraud or attempted fraud, visit www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.