Rogue trader near Chipping Norton given suspended sentence after pleading guilty to fraud

Mr Jesse Shepherd, the owner of Oxfordshire Roofing Company, was sentenced to 30 weeks in custody, suspended for two years at Oxford Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday December 19).

The 56-year-old resident of the Beeches caravan park pleaded guilty to two offences relating to faulty roofing work carried out at a property in Chalgrove in 2020, following an investigation by the county council’s trading standards team.

Following the trial, Shepherd was also sentenced to pay £4,200 in compensation to the victim, £3,000 towards the council’s costs, and a victim surcharge.

Cllr Dr Nathan Ley, cabinet member for public health, inequalities, and community safety, said: “The vast majority of Oxfordshire’s builders complete their work on time and to their customers’ satisfaction.

"When this is not the case and traders take money for rushed bodge jobs, then our trading standards team are here to protect residents from the actions of rogue traders.”

The charges against the rogue tradesman arose after he made false claims, namely that the work would be done to a reasonable and competent standard, that grade A materials would be used, and that the work was covered with a 20-year guarantee.

Despite the claims made, the roof began leaking within days of the work being completed, with an expert describing the materials used as ‘cheap’ and ‘inadequate’.

The expert, who was instructed by trading standards, said that the work carried out by Oxfordshire Roofing Company was so poor that it had no value at all, and the roof now had to be replaced entirely.

The tradesman was paid £1,700 towards the £3,400 he had quoted for the roofing work, but the remaining sum was not paid as the leak occurred before this payment was made.

During the investigation, trading standards found the quote of £3,400 unrealistic to complete the job, as the same expert priced the job at £7,248 including VAT to be done properly.

The trial was the second time Jesse Shepherd has been prosecuted for an offence of fraud for faulty roofing work after being previously fined following a guilty plea at Oxford Magistrates’ Court in 2009, when he was trading as Right Choice Roofing.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s head of trading standards, said: “We advise anybody who is looking for a reliable trader to always get a number of detailed quotes, check with friends and family for trusted recommendations, and consider a trading standards’ approved trader from our Buy With Confidence scheme.

“We would also advise that customers resist calls for payment ahead of when sums are due to be paid under the agreement they have with a trader.

"It is unfortunately very common for rogue traders to seek as much money as possible either upfront or at a very early stage in the works and then either fail to order materials that have been paid for or substitute them with cheaper, less suitable materials than what has been invoiced for.”

Oxfordshire residents that have concerns about activity of this nature should report it to trading standards via the Citizens Advice national consumer helpline 0808 223 1133.