A disgraced ex-police officer turned rogue trader, who ripped-off homeowners he charged £112,900 for shoddy work, has been given five months to save himself from prison.
Plumber Steven Trendell, 41, who admitted fraudulent overcharging, resigned from the Met a decade ago when prosecuted for moonlighting while on sick leave.
He appeared at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court today, where Judge Andrew Campbell told him: “I’ll put sentencing off for five months to see how much you have repaid.
“It has to be written confirmation or I won’t believe you. Your sentence will depend significantly on whether I think you have made proper efforts to repay.”
Trendell ,of Monks Green, Fetcham, Leatherhead pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent business, namely Home Edge Plumbing & Heating, between August 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015.
The charge relates to work at two properties in Evesham Terrace, Surbiton for two loft conversions and an extension and trading standards say the overcharging equalled £51,200.
He also pleaded guilty to making a false representation to the occupiers of a house in Ravenscar Road, Surbiton, namely that he provided a genuine gas safety certificate and was FENSA-registered.
“We have lost our entire life savings and are in serious debt and could lose our home,” said Seb and Serena Riemann, of Evesham Terrace, who paid Trendell £57,200.
The loft extension of their £800,000 home needed to be ripped down and rebuilt and the extension re-roofed, with an extra £30,000 needed to put things right.
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| The Evesham Terrace Properties |
The front door did not close properly, the hall floor was rising, the staircases did not comply to regulations, sink waste drained into their dishwasher and the drains were unfinished.
Their next-door neighbours also hired Trendell, who told them he was a former soldier, who served in Bosnia and protected the US President and other VIP’s for the Met’s protection division.
The court heard Trendell claimed he retired from the force on medical grounds and not because he received a suspended prison sentence for deception in 2006.
They paid him a total of £55,700, but an independent expert valued the work at £17,500 with more money needed to complete the project.
He lied to another couple he was FENSA-registered - a window-fitting competency scheme - when charging £40,000 to convert their property to a single dwelling.
Trendell also left behind a bogus gas safety certificate and when investigated by the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames refused interview requests.
He was also sacked by his solicitors because he refused to pay them and fought the case until shortly before his trial was due to begin.
Regarding the Riemann’s Judge Campbell told him: “There is no doubt the effects have been devastating and they had to borrow money from relatives.
“It’s a trail of destruction and they’ve suffered torment.”
Trendell told the court: “I’m truly sorry for what happened. Given the opportunity I’d like to pay them back. I acted irrationally and irresponsibly.”
He said his kitchen-fitting company made £80,000 profit in the last financial year.
Judge Campbell told him: “I’m not making any promises. You may well still receive an immediate custodial sentence, but if you make a reasonable start to paying-off the money the length of that sentence will be reduced.”
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