Rogue builder sentenced after targeting elderly widow
Friday 10 October 2025: A rogue trader who coerced an elderly widow from Ruislip into paying £11,600 for unnecessary building works has been given a 10-month suspended prison sentence, a 15-month community order and ordered to fully repay his victim's estate following an investigation by Hillingdon Council's trading standards team.
The court was told that on 10 September 2022, Cash approached Mary Naylor, then 86, offering to clean her driveway for an agreed price. After performing a sub-standard clean of the driveway, he then pointed out other faults with her property, including that her chimney was going to fall onto her roof, a flat roof needed replacing and that her boiler and heating system needed replacing.
The court was told Cash wrote out an invoice for the works but deliberately backdated it by one month to give the impression, if later scrutinised, that he had explained the cancellation rights to Ms Naylor and had not commenced work during the statutory cooling off period.
When the works were complete, Ms Naylor paid £100 cash and wrote out cheques to Cash for £6,000 and £5,500 for the remainder, as he had told her the banks might get suspicious if he paid in a cheque for the full amount.
Cash returned on two separate occasions in attempts to extract more money from Ms Naylor by 'inventing extra work' and due to the distress caused by these visits she contacted the council's trading standards team, who notified him it was investigating, and he should not return to the property, the court heard.
An independent surveyor, contracted by the council, reviewed the work performed by Cash and found much of it had not been required and that it was all undertaken to a poor standard.
Sentencing, Judge Mr Recorder Miskin KC, noted Cash had been arrested previously for a similar fraud and that he had been introduced to such behaviour by his father from the age of 10.
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council's Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, said: "This case was a despicable example of a vulnerable resident being exploited by a scammer using aggression, harassment and unfair practices.
"Sadly, the victim in this case sadly passed away before getting to see Cash brought to justice, but I hope this result brings some comfort to those who knew what she'd gone through.
"Our trading standards team has a duty to protect consumers from being defrauded, misled and unfairly treated and we'll always take the firmest action against those who seek to exploit those residents most at risk."
Cash was sentenced against the count of fraud by false representation with no separate penalties for counts two and three. The prison sentence was suspended for two years and the community order requires that he undertakes 200 hours of unpaid work with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days. A fourth count was ordered to lie on file.
He was ordered to pay compensation of £11,600 to the estate of Ms Naylor, £5,400 towards prosecution costs and a £187 victim surcharge.
If you suspect a business based in Hillingdon is acting fraudulently, let our trading standards team know by emailing tradingstandards@hillingdon.gov.uk.
For other consumer-related issues contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
