A ROGUE trader who conned and intimidated two couples into paying for work he never finished has been jailed.

Simon Fielding, who owned and operated Ribble Valley Roofing, took £7,900 off one couple to repair their roof.

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But rather than complete the work he turned tiles upside down to make them look new, Preston Crown Court was told.

In a second case the 56-year-old, who once appeared on BBC One’s Rogue Trader’s and has 11 convictions for 26 offences, also demanded almost £8,000 for work he never did.

The prosecution said he began the work on the first house just months after been given a suspended sentence at Burnley Crown Court for breaching the Consumer Protection Act.

He still owes the complainant in that case thousands of pounds, the court was told.

Mother-of-two Sara Cole had called Ribble Valley Roofing to fix a leaking roof at her home in Wiswell in the latest prosecution.

She found the company on Yell.com and when she called the phone was answered by a man, who claimed to be David Fielding.

The court heard he was actually a business associate of Fielding’s called David Clegg.

The work was completed on May 12, 2014, but a few weeks later the leak reappeared.

When the Coles called the company to come back the man claiming to be David Fielding said the entire roof needed replacing and it would cost £15,000.

Following a series of phone calls the cost was initially reduced to £12,000, but a price of £6,500 was eventually agreed with the use of reclaimed tiles and existing tiles.

The court heard Fielding demanded half of the money up front and the rest on satisfactory completion, but he had rang Mrs Cole on two separate occasions and asked for an extra £2,500 and then £2,300.

As the job neared completion Fielding, said the price had gone up and that they owed him another £3,600 because materials had gone up.

Prosecuting David Traynor said Fielding sent Mrs Cole and her husband Nicholas a text saying unless the balance was paid he would go to the house and ‘crate the 290 (slates) we have replaced’ because they were legally his.

Jailing Fielding, Judge Christopher Cornwall said: “Mr and Mrs Coles have parted with thousands of pounds for work that has no value and will have to be done again by someone who is competent, someone who doesn’t overcharge and someone who doesn’t bully and hector to obtain the money he demands.”

The Coles reported Fielding to Lancashire Trading Standards, who brought the prosecution.

The court heard when building surveyor Don Waterworth inspected the roof he found the tiles had been turned upside down to look new, had cost an average of £2 each and the lifespan of the current tiles was at an end.

He also discovered the cause of the original leak had not been repaired.

The court also heard that on November 14, Fielding had been called to Christine Walmsley’s home, who had found his business listed on ‘Roof Guard UK’ to fix her leaking roof.

She had given him £330 for fixing the roof but no notice of rights was given. The roof leaked again the next time there was a storm and Mrs Walmsley was told that a two-part roof elevation totalling £12,000 was needed to fix the problem.

A deposit of £3,000 was agreed but during the work Fielding asked for another £5,000 for materials and staff costs.

The work progressed slowly and on Christmas Eve, Fielding, demanded an extra £3,000 or he wouldn’t finish it. Mr Walmsley negotiated a £1,200 payment but Fielding never returned.

Defending, Ken Hind said that Fielding had been a reputable builder with clients including the Walker family and Robinson Engineering until an appearance on BBC One’s Rogue Trader’s saw him lose customers.

He also said his client had problems in his personal life and had helped nurse his son back to health following a car crash for which he was jailed for causing death by dangerous driving.

Fielding, of Wardsley Farm, Leagram, Chipping, admitted two counts of fraud, and one count of engaging as a trader in an unfair commercial practice which was an aggressive practice.

He was given 27 months for the first fraud, 27 months to be served concurrently for the second fraud, nine months to be served concurrently for the aggressive practice and eight months for breaching the suspended sentence. He must also pay a victim surcharge of £80.

Mrs Walmsley launched civil proceedings against Fielding and has got a successful judgement for repayment.

But the Coles have never seen a penny back.