Cowboy builder scammed homeowners out of £650,000 – but will only pay back £108

It was heard his victims included one woman who was having work done to help her dying father in law.

One of Britain’s worst cowboy builders who scammed more than 50 homeowners out of nearly £650,000 has been ordered to pay back just £108.

‘Thorough menace’ Lawrence Martin ‘took advantage’ of vulnerable customers who have called the small fee a ‘slap in the face’.

The 36 year old was jailed for five years in February as he pressured clients into paying tens of thousands of pounds in deposits to ensure work could begin, before declaring more and more work needed doing as costs soared.

It was heard his victims included one woman who was having work done to help her dying father in law.

One couple lost more than £110,000 as a result of his fraud, while dozens of heartbroken victims were left with wrecked homes and empty bank accounts as their life-savings were cleaned out in a campaign of fraud which lasted a ‘very long time’.

Martin – 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 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 shoddy, many cancelled the rest, demanded a refund and had to fork out thousands more on professionals to fix the damage he had done.

After admitting two counts of fraudulent trading and one of fraud Martin was jailed for five years for his ‘disgraceful conduct’ at Southampton Crown Court, Hants.

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’.

She said: ‘It was supposed to be justice. 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.

His vulnerable clients included a widow, those with disabilities, and the family of a terminally ill man.

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.

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.

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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