Rogue trader who was gambling addict gets suspended sentence over cons totalling £5,500
A rogue trader who left customers thousands of pounds out of pocket after failing to carry out the work he promised has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
James Gelder, who was a gambling addict, offered to carry out garden and maintenance work for customers in Rowley Regis, Great Wyrley, Solihull, Oldbury and Wednesbury, but instead of carrying out the jobs he kept the cash.
The 31-year-old, of Beddow Avenue, Coseley, was sentenced at Dudley Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a string of offences dating back to 2021 and 2022, and was told to repay thousands of pounds which he had taken from his victims.
Victims handed over cash to Gelder for him to order and pay for materials for the work, but he kept the payments for himself instead of using the money for the creation of gardens and driveways.
Five customers were left out of pocket as a result, with one handing over as much as £2,700 after being told Gelder would use the money to order and pay for materials that he would use to replace drainage and create a patio and path in slabs.
Another customer handed over £1,100, while two others gave him £800 and the last handed over £100.
