Builder fleeced customers out of £100,000 - and then pretended he had cancer

27 January 2024 , 08:22

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Sean Stanway arriving at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court

A rogue builder swindled customers out of tens of thousands of pounds without doing any work and then lied about having cancer to avoid completing the jobs, a court has heard.

Sean Stanway, 54, ran his own building and maintenance company from 2001 until he was declared bankrupt in August 2020. He has now been sentenced to three years in prison at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

One of his victims was a nurse who paid him £37,500 for a home extension that was supposed to start in January 2020. Prosecutor Colette Renton said: "In January 2020 he told her there was no need to be concerned. But by March he told her he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and was to have surgery.

"She agreed he could return in six weeks. That was not true. In May 2020 building inspectors reported problems with his work. The victim was so concerned by the lack of progress by July 2020 she gave him four weeks. She believed she was £22,112 out of pocket."

The woman had to hire another builder to finish the job and lived in a caravan for four months. Ms Renton said: "She felt angry and ripped off."

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Another victim was left over £30,000 poorer. Ms Renton said: "The defendant said he had to go to hospital for an operation due to suspected testicular cancer. The man was highly sympathetic. Eventually, the man became suspicious and called the suppliers and they all confirmed none of the goods had been ordered."

Stanway told the same lie about having cancer to a couple from Tunstall who then demanded a refund of over £5,000. He told another victim that he had been in Harplands Hospital.

Stanway's final victim was a friend who lent him £1,750 to prevent him from going bankrupt - this included £1,500 for work on his garage and patio. But Miss Renton added: "He never came to do the work.

"He offered a range of excuses, including he was sleeping in the work unit as his wife had kicked him out. The victim contacted the builders' yard he knew was going to supply the materials and they said they did not even sell paving."

The court heard that Stanway had applied for bankruptcy in August 2020. He transferred nearly £57,000 to a third party so it wouldn't go to the bankruptcy regulator and therefore wouldn't be repaid to his victims.

Stanway, from Hesketh Avenue, Ball Green, admitted to seven charges of fraud, two charges of dishonestly failing to disclose information to make a gain, making an article for use in fraud, possession of criminal property and participating in a fraudulent business carried on by a sole trader. Scott Ashdown, speaking for Stanway, said he was a man who worked hard.

He added: "His position was untenable and beyond rescue. He did not accept and appreciate the difficulty he was in. He felt the hard work would see him through and he would be able to make good on the promises he was making."

Recorder Robert Smith told Stanway: "You were robbing Peter to pay Paul, taking money from customers to keep the business afloat, knowing full well the work would not and never would be complete. The business was on the brink of collapse. You told a pack of lies to many of your customers to keep the ruse that your business was viable going.

"From the beginning of 2020, you were a rogue builder. You knew full well you could not do the work. The work you did was sub-standard. You had no way of paying the money back. From March to August 2020 you were a rogue trader."

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