2 days ago
Merc-driving rogue trader sentenced for fleecing pensioners across the region out of life savings
A rogue trader who fleeced pensioners of their life savings to fund a Mercedes-driving lifestyle has been jailed for 10 years.
But, police are now hunting Steven Lee after he failed to appear at Preston Crown Court for sentencing - with a warrant now issued for his arrest.
The court heard that Lee, 39, and from Bartle, in Preston, preyed upon elderly homeowners, using high pressure tactics to part them from their money.
He persuaded some of his victims to have work done which was "wholly unnecessary", and in others left their homes in disrepair, costing thousands to put right.
A second man, Eli Young, 40, who worked with Lee on three of his bogus jobs, was also jailed for four years when he appeared at Preston Crown Court.
Between August 2019 and November 2020, Lee traded under the name Dedicated Roofing Solutions, offering repair work to customers in Preston, Garstang and Stockport. On some occasions, he used aliases including Lee Stevens and Lee Boswell.
Other times he recruited others, including Young to assist him in his unscrupulous trade.
In passing sentence Judge Ian Unsworth KC said the pair ''engaged in offending which was deliberately planned and heartless in its execution.".
Prosecutor, Claire Larton, told Preston Crown Court how one man was left £118,000 out of pocket after Lee cold called him and used aggressive sales tactics to part him with his savings.
The work was later valued at "no more than £12,000" and would cost a further £4,000 to repair issues caused by the pair.
"It was brazen and it was heartless - in short he was fleeced by you two," Judge Unsworth KC said.
"You had clearly identified him as someone who was vulnerable yet this heartless offending carried on relentlessly. He was, in your eyes, a cash cow."
In another case a woman said she used all her savings and had to put £1,000 on a credit card to cover the bills after being cold called by Lee.
In total she handed over £7,500 for work that was not needed, leaving her feeling 'stupid' and having 'trust issues', she said.
Some of the victims said they had suffered sleepless nights and worry over how they would pay the rogue traders, with one couple being fleeced out of their entire inheritance and arguing with each other after 50 years of harmonious marriage.
Another said she no longer felt safe in her home and had started checking door and window locks and CCTV after falling victim to the callous scam.
Lee has pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud, however he has not attended court for recent hearings and was sentenced in his absence. Young, also of Rosemary Lane, Bartle, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud.
The court heard Young has no previous convictions, but Lee has previously been jailed for similar offences.
Judge Unsworth KC said: "Many of your victims were elderly, retired and some of them lived alone. They were deliberately targeted on the basis of their vulnerability.
"Part of this tried and trusted method you adopted was to do it in a sustained way. If the hook hadn't worked initially you would simpy re-engage them again and again. This was sustained offending - and in my judgement, carefully planned.
"When you identified someone willing to engage you put the plan into action, in your case Young allowing your bank account to be filled with criminal money that has no doubt long since gone.
"More than one of your victims pointed to you both driving what appeared to be fairly upmarket vehicles, all while fleecing their savings.
