Jail for builder who tried to com pair of victims

ELDERLY CUSTOMERS WERE ASKED TO PAY HUGE SUMS

- CARL EVE

A PLYMOUTH builder has been jailed after he admitted trying to con two elderly customers out of thousands of pounds.

Ambrose Reilly, aged 48, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to two counts of unfair commercial practices relating to work including roofing, rendering and laying driveways between 2019 and 2020.

The court heard how Reilly, whose address given at his first court appearance was Ridge Road, Plympton, had targeted two elderly customers who were both considered to be vulnerable. One of them was registered blind. Prosecutor Judith Constable explained how Reilly had been the sole director of Protect A Coat Ltd, which was dissolved in 2022.

She explained how, in September 2019, the home of an elderly man in Whittingham Street, Plymouth, was cold-called by Reilly with an offer to carry out painting work. She said Reilly and another man took advantage of the man’s vulnerability – as he was registered blind – to get him to agree to more work, including painting front and rear walls and repairing walls.

The contract had an agreed cash price of £2,500 and the man was urged to give a deposit of £300. The court heard that the next day another man arrived and began hammering the render off outside walls.