Bogus builder spared jail after taking cash from Sunderland householders but failing to do the work

David Wilkinson, who traded as DM Plastering and Building Supplies, accepted deposits for jobs then made excuses when customers asked when the work would be done.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 29-year-old conman continued taking victims' cash even after he had been caught once and released on bail.

Prosecutor Joe Hedworth told the court when one mum made repeated attempts to get her money back from Wilkinson, she was warned she would be "done for harassment" if she kept trying.

Victims, who said they had trusted the tradesman as he was a "local lad", were left feeling "completely let down", "taken advantage of", "very angry" and "very upset".

Mr Hedworth said the first victim paid a £150 deposit for a plastering and light fitting job in February 2019 and despite "various messages being sent", the work was never done.

Just weeks later a woman, who knew dad-of-seven Wilkinson as a local man and felt able to trust him, handed over a £700 deposit then received "various excuses" in return, with none of the work done.

Another customer paid a £90 deposit but he failed to turn up to do the work and then stopped replying to her messages.

The court heard Wilkinson was questioned by the police in May 2019 and was given bail after he appeared in court in relation to the offences.

Despite the fact he had already been collared, Wilkinson took a £330 deposit from a customer in September 2019 and a £300 from another in December 2019.

Again, none of the work was carried out.

Wilkinson, of Prescot Road, Sunderland admitted five charges of fraud.

Judge Penny Moreland told him: "Through 2019 you were working self employed with a small plastering and building business.

"On three occasions between January and March you took deposits from people, hard working people who had earned money and trusted you to come to heir homes to carry out work and because it suited you you decided to keep their money and not do the work.

"You were interviewed in May, that should have warned you, at the very least, that you were not going to get away with it but you went on to do the same.

"One complainant tried to get her money back, she had money thrown at her in a car park and threatened she would be done for harassment if she continued to try and get her money back.

"It doesn't seem you were very remorseful about the way you had treated hard working people and kept their money."

Judge Moreland sentenced Wilkinson to seven months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 150 hours unpaid work and an order to pay back all of the money he took.

The judge said and immediate jail term would impact on Wilkinson's partner and children and he would be given "one opportunity" to put his family first.

Helen Towers, defending, said Wilkinson had been conducting a "legitimate business" but had not appreciated the financial and other pressures associated with it.

Miss Towers said Wilkinson, who is now employed by a different company, did not target any victims but had "buried his head in the sand" .

She said he wants to pay back all of the money that customers lost.

Miss Towers said if Wilkinson went to jail his family would suffer and he would struggle to pay back any of the cash.

She added: "Custody would have a greater impact on people who are innocent in all of this."

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