Daily reporting of the courts forms an important part of the UK's open justice system, that justice can be seen to be done. Key benefits of open justice include ensuring public confidence and respect in democracy and the administration of justice, as well as deterring people from committing crimes and thereby the details of those crimes becoming public knowledge.
Bristol Live reports daily from Bristol Crown Court, and also sits in on some cases at magistrates' courts, which tend to deal with less serious crimes. You can sign up for our new Bristol's Court Insider newsletter for the latest court and crime news - from arrests to trials and sentencings.
Listed below are some of the 'cowboy builders' who have recently faced justice at Bristol Crown Court, and the jail terms they received. Read more about why we publish defendants' names and addresses here.
Read more: 'Parasite' former head of finance jailed after £1.2million fraud
Daniel Denison, 43 months
A tradesman was handed a 43-month custodial sentence at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday (April 27) after pleading guilty to running a fraudulent business. Daniel Denison, 60, of Kingsteignton, Devon, was paid significant amounts of money by homeowners for building work which he either failed to complete or never even started, between October 1, 2016 and April 30, 2018.
He took substantial deposits from his customers but delivered the building works to a poor standard. He also failed to apply for planning permission when required, requested additional payments for so-called 'extras' or left jobs unfinished.
Completion deadlines for building work were missed and calls from those customers he had taken money from were repeatedly ignored. An investigation led by the National Trading Standards South West Regional Investigations Team, hosted by Bristol City Council, identified a total of 18 victims from Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Plymouth and across the South West, who suffered financial losses totalling £135,000.
Read the full story here
John Ward, two years
A banned "cowboy builder" used false names to dishonestly secure work. John Ward was prohibited from trading under a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). Bristol Crown Court heard that, after he registered under a false name on the Rated People website, people engaged him for jobs and he charged high prices for shoddy work. Ward, 35, of Moorland Road in Burnley, pleaded guilty to engaging in activity in breach of the CBO as well as fraud.
Judge Michael Longman jailed him for two years at a sentencing hearing in March. He told Ward: "Cowboy builders and rogue traders like you are a menace. You leech on decent members of the public, fleecing them of their money, sometimes their savings, leaving them in need of further expenditure for repair work."
Alan Fuller, prosecuting, said in May 2020 a Brislington woman accessed the Rated People website, requesting quotes for minor roof works at her home - but the 'repairs' ended up with "large pieces of cement falling from the roof".
Read the full story here
Michael Coffey, two years and two months and Richard Coffey, 18 months
Rogue roofers who ripped off people in Wiltshire have been jailed. Brothers Michael and Richard Coffey scammed £44,600 from people for their poor quality work which required customers to spend more money to put right.
Michael Coffey, 29, and Richard Coffey, 25, both of Northwood Park, Old Gloucester Road, Winterbourne, both pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent business. They were directors of MRC Roofing and Building Ltd, Bristol Crown Court heard in February.
The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC jailed Michael for two years and two months and Richard for 18 months. The judge said: "There was detrimental impact on the victims, financially and otherwise."
Read the full story here
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