Highland women conned out of £7000 by rogue tradesman
Two Black Isle women were conned out of over £7000 by a Lossiemouth man who was acting with an accomplice to persuade their victims to hand over the money for roof repairs which were never completed.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Steven Stewart (45), of Coulardhill, only carried out £100 worth of work on the two properties in Fortrose between July 23 and July 27, 2022.
Fiscal depute Adelle Gray told Sheriff Gordon Lamont that Stewart answered a local notice board advertisement by one of the women on July 4, 2022 and, two days later, he provided a modest quote saying there would be a 10-year guarantee on his work.
However Stewart and his partner in crime returned the following day and told the woman that further work costing another £1000 would be required and £500 was transferred to his account.
Ms Gray said: "Then she got another invoice for £3600 and she transferred another £500 to Stewart's account. As it was a shared roof, everyone agreed to contribute and all the money was paid. Some work was carried out."
But the court heard that Stewart told his victims a Velux window was required and the work would cost another £2300 which again was transferred to him.
On September 5, 2022, another company was asked to come and inspect the work, they determined that it was insufficient and incomplete, and calculated that the cost of what had been done would only have been £100.
Stewart appeared for sentence after previously admitting defrauding two women of £7730 by promising to carry out the work to a proper standard but executed it in a grossly negligent and unworkmanlike like manner.
Defending, Rory Gowans told the Sheriff that he was unaware if a civil action to recover the money was likely and added: "He hopes to get back into full time employment but at present he does not have the means to make repayment."
Sheriff Lamont decided to further defer sentence until July 10 to determine whether the funds could be repaid and to what extent.