Dudley trader admits theft
A Dudley trader who admitted stealing £1,150 for a garden job he never did has been ordered to pay almost double that amount in costs through the courts.
Warren Wight, trading as Warren Wight gardening & decorating services, took an advanced payment for a job to pay for materials in June 2021, Dudley Magistrates Court was told.
The court heard that Mr Wight was contacted by a Dudley resident via Facebook, who wanted to have gardening work carried out at their home. Mr Wight quoted the homeowner £2,000 with £1,150 to be paid as a deposit. But once the money was handed over, that was the last time the homeowner saw him.
Despite giving Mr Wight a number of opportunities to complete the work or return the money, he made a number of excuses why this could not be done. The homeowner then went to Dudley Council trading standards, who went on to investigate the matter and made several attempts to get him to pay back the money or complete the work that was agreed.
Before the first hearing at Dudley Magistrates, Mr Wight finally repaid the homeowner in full. Despite this action, trading standards continued with legal action.
Wight, from Spencer Avenue, Bilston, pleaded guilty to a theft charge when he appeared before magistrates on July 14.
Dudley Magistrates Court sentenced Mr Wight to 100 hours unpaid work, £95 victim surcharge and the £2,000 costs to trading standards.
Councillor Ian Bevan, cabinet member responsible for trading standards, said:
This case shows that our trading standards team takes every case seriously and we will do what we can to protect our consumers. I hope it sends a clear message to would-be rogue traders that we will do everything we can to prosecute them and keep people safe.