Carmarthenshire rogue builder conned victims out of £90,000
Baker was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, at Swansea Crown Court on May 2 after he pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading.
On that occasion, Judge Paul Thomas KC said there were 'certain constraints' he was bound by after Baker was jailed last year to two years and eight months for like offences from the same time period.
At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, it was agreed Baker benefitted from his offending by £92,117.70. Both parties agreed the defendant had £226.30 available, and a confiscation order was made for that amount.
The defendant was disqualified from being a company director for five years.
Baker, previously of Llanddarog, returned to Swansea Crown Court on July 22, where prosecutor Alexander Greenwood confirmed the Crown Prosecution Service were no longer pursuing costs and compensation.
The court previously heard one of Baker's victims paid him £32,745.50, of which it was alleged he defrauded him out of £20,000.
An assessment of the completed work found it was 'poor quality' and was done in a 'haphazard way'.
A second victim was initially quoted £49,500 for works on her home, and said she felt 'pressured' into accepting this after Baker messaged her the next day saying that prices were going up.
She paid the defendant half of this, as well as £12,400 to order a new kitchen, and a further £10,000 after Baker said he had 'underestimated' the costs.
Whilst the works were ongoing, the victim received a message saying Baker had been imprisoned. She contacted the kitchen supplier to check on her order, but found the defendant hadn't ordered it.
An assessment found 'serious issues' with the property's timber frames, and the works didn't comply with building regulations.
The work Baker had completed should have been worth 'no more than £16,000', and remedial work would cost around £55,500.
The third victim was quoted £1,500 to remove a chimney stack, but he then used the wrong type of tiles.
'You could see daylight between the tiles,' Mr Greenwood said.
Baker quoted them a further £6,000 to replace the roof, but the victim challenged him after being quoted half of that by a different contractor.
Baker's defence counsel acknowledged the defendant having already received a prison sentence for offending during this period was the only thing that would keep him from being jailed again.
Sentencing Baker, Judge Thomas said: 'You are a rogue builder. You are a conman. You are a bully. You are a thoroughly dishonest man.
'I hope you will have the sense to never go anywhere near somebody's house again to do work.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
20 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
US woman accused of murder plot claims she flew to UK for birthday celebrations
Aimee Betro, 45, is alleged to have flown from Wisconsin as part of a plot orchestrated by co-conspirators Mohammed Aslam, 56, and Mohammed Nabil Nazir, 31, of Elms Avenue in Derby, to attack a rival family on September 7, 2019. A trial has heard allegations that Betro disguised her appearance with a niqab when she tried to shoot Sikander Ali at point blank range outside his home in Measham Grove, Birmingham, but the gun jammed, allowing Mr Ali to flee. Aimee Betro is standing trial at Birmingham Crown Court (PA Archive) Giving evidence in her defence on Monday, Betro, from Wisconsin, told Birmingham Crown Court she had slept with Nazir at an Airbnb during a visit to the UK spanning December 2018 and January 2019. Betro, who denies conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol and a charge of fraudulently evading the prohibition on importing ammunition, said she did not meet Nazir – who she 'had feelings for' – during a second visit to the UK in May 2019. In her evidence, Betro said the first two visits had seen her doing 'touristy' things such as attending music events, viewing street art in east London, visiting a friend in Birmingham and taking care of a dog 'at someone's house in the middle of England'. Asked why she had paid a third visit to the UK, arriving at Manchester Airport from Atlanta around two weeks before the shooting, Betro told jurors: 'To celebrate my birthday and I won tickets for another boat party in London. 'And there was another little festival that was at Crystal Palace that I wanted to go to.' Betro's barrister, Paul Lewis KC, asked her what she thought of Nazir after meeting him on a dating app, communicating with him via Snapchat and meeting him in London. Betro answered: 'He was charming and I did like him. He was sweet and I did have feelings for him.' She told the court 'I would guess so' when asked if she thought Nazir had feelings for her, but added that she was not trying to build a relationship with him because they lived in different countries. Standing up in the witness box, Betro, wearing a casual round-necked navy blue top and square-rimmed glasses, began her evidence by giving personal details, including her height as being 5ft 5ins. During her evidence, Betro was asked about messages between her and Nazir which referred to a gun broker website and a silencer. She said she did not remember the message referring to a broker, but told the court she had posted 'gaming things' relating to an an old gaming system. She also told the court she had lived at an address in West Allis, Winsconsin, from 2013 to 2019 and had 'a couple of different degrees' in early childhood education and graphic design. The Crown alleges that Betro returned to the scene hours after the shooting and fired three shots into Mr Ali's house, which was empty at the time, before leaving the UK and flying back to the US the next day. The court heard father and son Aslam and Nazir, who were jailed last year for their part in the bungled assassination plot, were involved in a feud with Mr Ali's father, Aslat Mahumad. Nazir and Aslam had been injured during disorder at Mr Mahumad's clothing boutique in Birmingham in July 2018, jurors have been told, leading them to conspire to have someone kill him or a member of his family. The trial continues.
Glasgow Times
20 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Men gave false name to lure pensioner to door before killing him, court told
Stephen Ridgeway, 72, died in hospital more than a month after the attack at his home in Keynsham, near Bristol, in the early hours of November 3 last year. He was assaulted by Wayne Milsom, 50, and Ryan Robbins, 34, who had forced their way in to steal drugs, jurors at Bristol Crown Court heard on Monday. At the door, one of the men said his name was 'Matty' – an acquaintance of Mr Ridgeway's, leading him to open the door. Prosecutor Anna Vigars KC said both men went on to ransack the house, demand drugs and assault Mr Ridgeway so severely that he never recovered. They are charged with murder, manslaughter and burglary. Both admit being present but claim they acted in self-defence. Mr Ridgeway was taken to hospital that morning with six fractured ribs and breathing difficulties, and died on December 7 despite being transferred to intensive care. 'He was, despite all the care, unable to recover from those injuries and in the end died of those injuries and their complications,' Ms Vigars said. The court heard he suffered from a pre-existing lung condition, which made him particularly vulnerable to chest trauma. A pathologist found bruising to his ear and other signs of injury that did not match a simple fall. Inside the house, police discovered jars of flour spilt across the kitchen, cupboards emptied and bottles of Hennessy among the items taken. Blood was found on a hammer, a champagne bottle and two knives, jurors were told. The trial is being heard at Bristol Crown Court (Ben Birchall/PA) Ms Vigars said: 'This was a visit paid by those who were clearly intent on achieving something – we say, intent on getting their hands on the drugs they believed were in the house.' The victim's lodger, Ben Haughton, denied selling drugs and told police he had gone to bed early and was only woken when he heard officers arrive at the house. When he went downstairs, he found Mr Ridgeway with clear injuries and sat with him while he gave an account to police. Mr Ridgeway is said to have suggested one of the men may have previously pushed him into a hedge – an incident linked to Robbins, jurors were told. Milsom gave a prepared statement to police in which he claimed he had gone to the house to buy drugs and was invited in. He said Mr Ridgeway became irritated and pulled a knife on him, leading to a struggle in which he disarmed the victim and pushed him away in self-defence. He told police: 'All of my actions were in lawful self-defence, as I genuinely feared for my safety.' Robbins gave no comment in interview but accepts he was present at the time. Ms Vigars said: 'The prosecution position is that it was Mr Milsom who went into the house, with the encouragement and assistance of Mr Robbins, in order to steal, probably to try to find drugs. 'Those two were the aggressors. 'Mr Milsom may have been the one who used more violence but Mr Robbins was there to provide him with encouragement – to spur him on, if you like. 'Mr Robbins's presence meant it was two against one from Mr Ridgeway's point of view.' The trial continues.
Western Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Man and woman accused of Milford Haven drug dealing offences
Kaleb Thomas and Joanna John appeared at Swansea Crown Court both charged with several drug dealing offences. Thomas, 20, of no fixed abode, was charged with possession with intent to supply cannabis on October 8 last year, and being concerned in the supply of cannabis between February 10 and October 9 last year. He was also accused of possession of criminal property – relating to £2,470 in dirty cash – and possession of crack cocaine. Thomas pleaded guilty to the cannabis and criminal property charges, but denied the cocaine offence. For the latest crime and court news for west Wales, you can join our Facebook group here. 46-year-old John, of Howarth Close in Milford Haven, was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and cannabis between August 29 and October 9 last year. She was also accused of possession of crack cocaine on October 8, 2024. John admitted the possession charge, but denied she was concerned in the supply of either drug. Prosecutor Craig Jones said a trial would be sought in the case of John. Judge Catherine Richards set a provisional trial for March 2026, but ordered that John's credit would be preserved for two weeks if she wished to change her pleas. Mr Jones said Thomas was currently serving a sentence of three years detention in a Young Offender Institution for drug trafficking offences. He will be sentenced on August 1 after Judge Richards ruled he could be sentenced separately as the link between the defendants was 'non-existent'. He was remanded back into custody until that date.
