Fuming homeowners slam cowboy builder who duped 50 families out of £650k after he’s ordered to pay back just £108

FUMING homeowners have slammed a cowboy builder who duped 50 families out of £650,000 before being ordered to pay back just £108.

Fraudster Lawrence Martin was jailed for five years in February having shamelessly taken advantage of vulnerable customers who were left with wrecked homes and empty bank accounts.

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His victims – including a widow, those with disabilities, and the family of a terminally ill man – have called the small fee a “slap in the face”.

One couple lost more than £110,000 as a result of Martin’s scam, while dozens more saw their life-savings cleaned out by the “thorough menace”.

His work was also extremely shoddy, and in one case was so bad it caused a homeowner’s brother to stop talking to him after he recommended Martin’s services.

Martin, 36 – who had no official roofing qualifications – demanded more and more money, despite no job ever getting finished, telling one customer “you got more chance of winning the lottery” than getting a refund.

Over a near five-year period, the father-of-four left customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in tears and some even having to change the locks to stop him returning, it was heard.

The work that he did do was so poor many cancelled the rest, demanded a refund and had to fork out thousands more on professionals to fix the damage he’d done.

After admitting two counts of fraudulent trading and one of fraud Martin was jailed for his “disgraceful conduct” at Southampton Crown Court, Hampshire.

Now, at a confiscation hearing at the same court, Martin was ordered to pay back just £108.96, with his company told to pay £1.

During the hearing, prosecutor Ethu Crorie said £108.96 is the only available money to confiscate, adding that both accounts used by Martin are due to be closed by the bank.

Martin must pay in 56 days or serve an extra 14 days in jail.

Victim Judith Kipling was duped out of her and her husband’s life savings of £32,500 after hiring Martin to build a wet room at their home in Southampton.

Speaking after Martin’s confiscation hearing, Mrs Kipling said it was a “slap in the face”.

“It was supposed to be justice,” she said.

“We all knew we would never get anything back from him, but it beggars belief.

“It does not feel like justice at all.

“Lawrence is prolific, so when he gets out, he will do it again.

“Obviously, the court hasn’t taken this seriously – I am stunned.”

At his sentencing in February, Mr Crorie told the court his offending was split in two periods – while sole director of Eastleigh-based firm CLJ roofing and when he continued with his own personal bank account, between January 2018 and October 2022.

When consumers complained, Martin made excuses including references to the imminent death of his mother, problems with suppliers, workers, other consumers and vehicles.

The work was either not completed or was done so poorly that remedial costs were incurred.

The court heard “took advantage of the consumers’ vulnerability” by stating that if they continued to complain he would walk off the job and refund them money.

He also “frequently” stated he would be refunding money – but the majority didn’t actually receive anything.

“When he did refund people, it was, it seems, only with a view to having them remove negative reviews from various sites,” Mr Crorie added.

Martin, of Southampton, acquired many of his customers through the Rated People website.

One family, who live in Chandler’s Ford, were told “you got more chance of winning the lottery”, when they sought a refund of £8,500.

Chrissie and Mark Bacon, who spent £44,000 on a garage conversion to house her terminally ill father-in-law, have been left with incomplete work by Martin after hiring him in the summer of 2021.

The 52-year-old was hoping to have her father-in-law at home for Christmas with them, but he died without being able live out his final days with his family and described hiring Martin as “a very expensive and painful mistake”.

One couple, from Alresford, near Winchester, lost £48,794 and had to spend a further £40,000 fixing the mess he had made.

Sharon Netley and partner Paul Harris came off worst, losing out on £92,668 and spending £22,000 on remedial costs.

Martin told Mr Harris that if Facebook comments were removed and the complaint to Trading Standards was withdrawn then he would refund the £50,000 – which he never did.

For Martin, Jennifer Brenton said his trading “was not fraudulent from the outset”.

However, she admitted Martin – who is trained as an electrician and not in roofing – was “erroneously” identifying work to be done.

Judge Peter Henry told the crook: “The impact upon those has been substantial, not just in terms of financial loss but in terms of health, anxiety and depression and work they have had to do to get their premises repaired properly.

“Serious, detrimental harm has been caused by you – your consumers have incurred considerable costs.

“Your disgraceful conduct persisted over a very long time.

“You defrauded over 50 victims, you used bullying and aggressive behaviour to your customers, including using a false identity in order to continue to perpetrate fraud, after CLJ ceased to exist.

“People like you are a thorough menace – not only giving the building industry a bad name but for causing victims devastating injury.”

Martin was also made subject of a 10 year Criminal Behaviour Order, barring him from any kind of building/roofing work.

He will however be allowed to practise as an electrician upon his release.

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