A window fitter who pulled a scam on an elderly couple has been given a 12-month community order and been ordered to pay a further £500 to the female victim - whose husband has since died - for her distress, along with court costs of £1,682. TeessideLive reports the woman has also received full compensation of £4,500 after the fitter failed to carry out the work, and he will pay £600 a month until the debt is cleared.
Stuart Richard Wilson's scam had conned the husband and wife out of £4,500 and left the victims feeling “vulnerable and victimised”. He had been recommended to the woman by her hairdresser and was engaged to supply and fit swing and slide patio doors at her home in Davison Close, Wynyard.
Michele Stowe, prosecuting on behalf of Stockton Council at Teesside Magistrates' Court, said the complainant had worked and saved for a long time for the work required, but Wilson, 46, failed to carry out the job.
The solicitor said: “He (Wilson) knew at the time he got the money he had financial problems and quite clearly had no intention of ordering the doors.” The court heard how Wilson was now working for the company Safestyle UK.
The defendant pleaded guilty last month to engaging in a commercial practice which involved misleading the householders and providing false information between August 7, 2020, and February 23, 2021. The charge was brought by Stockton Council under unfair trading regulations.
David Dedman, mitigating, said Wilson, of Paddock Green, Wynyard, was of previous good character and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He added: “He got himself into financial difficulty and he wanted to do this to get the money to pay a debt. He was robbing Peter to pay Paul.
“Unfortunately this family were at the end of a domino effect of financial difficulties.” Chair of the magistrates' bench, Michelle Matthews, suggested Wilson had targeted the complainants.
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