A rogue builder who defrauded ten victims out of more than £377,000 and left families facing huge repair bills for dangerous and substandard building work has been jailed following a prosecution by Leicestershire Trading Standards.
Colin Ridley, 72, of Charnwood Road, Anstey, trading as Truewood Builders, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years' imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday 30 October after pleading guilty to participating in a fraudulent business, contrary to Section 9 of the Fraud Act 2006. The court also imposed a Criminal Behaviour Order preventing him from working as a builder.
Passing sentence, His Honour Judge Raynor described Ridley as "an archetypal, dodgy cowboy builder" and "a thoroughly dishonest, deceitful and morally corrupt man".
A criminal investigation by Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards began after a complaint about dangerous and substandard work carried out on a domestic extension. Further enquiries uncovered a pattern of similar complaints from householders across Desford, Glenfield, Leicester, Blaby and Derby.
Investigators found that between 2019 and 2023, Ridley routinely accepted large sums of money for building projects that were poorly completed, significantly delayed or never finished. Victims reported repeated excuses for lengthy absences from sites, demands for additional payments beyond agreed quotations and a refusal to address complaints or repay money owed.
In total, ten victims suffered financial losses of £377,844, excluding the significant costs of rebuilding and remedial work. Several homeowners were forced to spend thousands of pounds correcting defective construction work, while two properties required major demolition and complete reconstruction.
Trading Standards officers discovered recurring defects across numerous projects, including inadequate foundations, uneven floors, poor brickwork, faulty roofing, substandard joinery and repeated failures to follow architects' plans. In some cases, building work raised serious health and safety concerns.
The investigation also revealed that Ridley frequently demanded additional payments during projects and, on occasions, pressured victims into withdrawing cash to pay him. Evidence showed he accepted payments intended for materials and subcontractors but failed to pass the money on, leaving homeowners facing further demands for payment and stalled construction work.
Judge Raynor said: "Your offending was sustained and cynical. You were not 'robbing Peter to pay Paul', you were cruelly enriching yourself at the expense of your customers, who have been left with incredible pain, anguish and distress.
"On multiple occasions, your work compromised the health and safety of the occupants of these houses due to your incredibly poor workmanship.
"Gaining the trust of the customer at the time of providing the quotation, you talked about your skills, your building history and gave examples of the work that you had done. Many victims feel they are now embarrassed that they fell for your charm offensive.
"Your multiple excuses why you could not attend - your van had broken down, your van had no MOT, a shortage of bricks, your wife's illness. These were described by one victim as infuriating lies without shame or remorse. And lying was a constant theme of your offending. You lied to customers, you lied to your own tradesmen... you are a liar."
In addition to the sentence imposed, the defendant will face further hearings to enable the court to consider the financial benefit gained from his offending and whether any assets can be confiscated.
Colin Ridley's actions caused significant financial loss, distress and disruption to families who simply wanted building work carried out on their homes. Instead, they were left with unfinished projects, dangerous defects and, in some cases, the enormous expense of having to rebuild entirely.
This was a sustained and deliberate fraud carried out over a number of years, with victims repeatedly misled and pressured into making further payments while little or no meaningful progress was made to their homes.
This sentence sends a clear message that rogue traders who target residents and exploit their trust will be investigated and prosecuted. We would always encourage residents to thoroughly check traders before agreeing any work and to report concerns at the earliest opportunity.
Person:Gary Gary Connors, head of regulatory services
Anyone concerned about rogue traders can find advice and information on our Trading Standards website or contact Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.