Accused builders say woman agreed work
Two builders who are accused of conning a pensioner into having unnecessary roofing work done at her Oldbury home told a jury she requested they carry out the work required.
Wayne Chambers and Terry Doyle told the jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court that 69-year-old Avril Pearsall was "happy" to have the work done, and had agreed to the price. The pair who run T Doyle & Sons are alleged to have frightened the pensioner into agreeing to the repairs by making her think the roof on her home was unsafe.
Doyle and Chambers both told the court that there were damaged tiles on the roof of the Grove Road home, and the work was necessary.
The prosecution also accuse the pair of duping Ms Pearsall by showing her a damaged tile, and pretending it was from her roof.
Giving evidence Chambers said that it was while they were undertaking work on her steps that Mrs Pearsall noticed that a neighbour was having felt fitted to their roof.
He said: "She just asked us if she had felt on her roof. We said we would have a look and took the ladders from the van, put them against the house, and went to have a look."
Chambers said: "There was evidence of a few loose ridge tiles, and that water had been running down the rafters into the loft area."
He told the court he brought one of the damaged roof tiles down from the roof.Doyle said after some discussion they priced up the roof work, and Ms Pearsall was happy.
Chambers told the court that the investigating Trading Standards officer Mark Beesley had a "personal vendetta" against him.
Chambers aged 33, of Hallewell Road, Edgbaston, and Doyle aged 36, of Overdale Road, Quinton, deny two counts of fraud, one count of engaging in a misleading commercial practice and one of aggressive commercial practice.
The trial continues.
