The Federation of Master Builders has been hammered by victims of a fraudulent building gang.
Contemporary Home Improvements Limited became a member of the trade organisation and raked in more than £800,000 for work never carried out.
As the prosecution told Snaresbrook Crown Court in East London: “Not one brick was ever laid by Contemporary Home Improvements. These defendants were not cowboy builders, they were fraudsters.”
They were brought to justice following a joint trading standards and Metropolitan Police investigation.
The London company was set up Brian Tutton, 62, who was last week jailed for seven years for fraud.
Salesman Scott Baker, 50, got four years for fraud.
Fake architect David Gogo, 30, who was described as so bad that he couldn’t use a tape measure, got a suspended sentence and was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work.
There were 61 victims, many were unable to recover the money from their bank and Judge Noel Casey said that it was “with some regret” that he could not make compensation orders because the defendants had no apparent assets.
Sentencing took place after the court heard victim impact statements, the judge saying: “It was a fraudulent operation from the outset designed to take the maximum deposits possible.
“There has been a serious detrimental effect on victims financially, psychologically and in some cases physically.”
Key to the scam was a property used as a show house, even though Contemporary Home…
