Cowboy builder gloated on-line about wealth earlier than he was jailed

A cowboy builder who scammed greater than 50 households out of £650,000 bragged about his wealth and lavish life-style on social media. 

Lawrence Martin ‘took benefit’ of susceptible prospects together with one lady who was having work completed to assist her dying father-in-law. 

The ‘basically dishonest’ 36-year-old pressured purchasers into paying tens of 1000’s of kilos in deposits to make sure work may start, earlier than declaring extra work wanted doing as prices soared.

One couple misplaced greater than £110,000 because of his fraud, whereas dozens of heartbroken victims have been left with wrecked houses and empty financial institution accounts as their life financial savings have been cleaned out in a marketing campaign of fraud that lasted a ‘very very long time’.

Now, MailOnline have been despatched photographs of his Instagram posts, which present Martin bragging about luxurious sports activities automobiles, lavish holidays and costly digital items – all whereas a few of his victims have been pressured to take out loans to make ends meet. 

In a put up from 2020, the conman shared an image of a 2016 gray and blue Aston Martin Vantage, value upwards of £50,000. 

Were you scammed by Lawrence Martin? Email: gina.kalsi@mailonline.co.uk

He wrote: ‘The day has come, I lastly decide up the keys for the Aston Martin Lawrence Martin version! Let’s go #astonmartin’ 

Another put up noticed the swindler gloated about his new Samsung flat display 85 inch tv. He mentioned: ‘Think I could have misjudged the scale of the TV I’ve simply purchased, s***.’ 

In March 2022, Martin jetted on vacation to Paphos Cyprus together with his spouse and their baby. 

He shared an image from the balcony of the new Mediterranean nation and penned: ‘Honeymoon with my stunning spouse and little child boy!’ 

Chrissie and Mark Bacon spent £44,000 on work to deal with her terminally ailing father-in-law, but it surely was by no means accomplished. They had been hoping he may spend Christmas with them however he died with out having the ability to stay out his remaining days together with his household. They now should pay one other £30,000 to restore the harm.

Meanwhile Martin was additionally concentrating on Sharon Netley and associate Paul Harris for a £92,000 job. His work was so unhealthy they needed to spend one other £22,000 remedying his appalling efforts. 

The court docket heard Martin – who had no official roofing {qualifications} however is skilled as an electrician – shamelessly instructed one buyer ‘you bought extra likelihood of successful the lottery’ than getting a refund.

And over a virtually 5 yr interval, the father-of-four left prospects throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in tears, with some even having to alter the locks to cease him returning.

The work that he did full was so shoddy, many cancelled the remainder, demanded a refund and needed to fork out 1000’s extra on professionals to repair the harm he had completed.

On Wednesday, after admitting two counts of fraudulent buying and selling and one in all fraud,  Martin confirmed no regret as he was caged for 5 years for his ‘disgraceful conduct’ at Southampton Crown Court.

After admitting two counts of fraudulent buying and selling and one in all fraud Martin didn’t react as he was jailed for 5 years for his ‘disgraceful conduct’ at Southampton Crown Court.

Martin will serve half of his sentence earlier than being launched on licence.

He was additionally made topic of a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order, barring him from any form of constructing or roofing work. He will nonetheless be allowed to practise as an electrician upon his launch.

Outside court docket sufferer Ms Netley mentioned: ‘It won’t ever be lengthy sufficient, after two and a half years he might be out.

‘We have been left in debt, we needed to take loans from the financial institution, bank cards.’

Couple Chrissie and Mark Bacon – who have been stung for an unlimited quantity – mentioned: ‘It was a really costly and painful mistake, and this has been the worst time of our lives.

Mrs Bacon added: ‘During this time, dad’s well being deteriorated. We hassled Lawrence increasingly to finish the home, however he wouldn’t achieve this.’

They spent their life financial savings on the work and even needed to remortgage their house earlier than forking out an additional £46,000 to restore the unfinished work. 

An further £30,000 nonetheless must be spent, she mentioned.

‘We have lived right here for 16 years, and this was meant to be our endlessly house,’ she added.

Another sufferer, who didn’t want to be named however had been scammed out of practically £50,000 mentioned: ‘We will not get better.

‘You do not get better simply from that.

‘I’m glad justice has been completed and one thing is occurring about it.

‘The piece I take away from it’s there’s energy in making a stand.

‘There was clearly a components that was in place – you are taking a little bit of consolation you are not the one one.

‘We have discovered a neighborhood right here, that is serving to us all get by it.’

Martin was additionally made topic of a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order, barring him from any form of constructing or roofing work. He will nonetheless be allowed to practise as an electrician upon his launch.

Earlier prosecutor Ethu Crorie instructed the court docket his offending was break up in two durations – whereas sole director of Eastleigh-based agency CLJ roofing and when he continued together with his personal private checking account, between January 2018 and October 2022.

His susceptible purchasers included a widow, these with disabilities, and the household of a terminally ailing man.

‘In temporary, Martin quoted for constructing/roofing works at a property,’ he mentioned.

‘He appeared that he was a profitable {and professional} dealer.

‘Pressure was positioned on prospects to conform to the work shortly, potential dates for beginning the work have been advised however would solely be out there if a deposit was paid.

‘Once the work began, steadily, he would establish additional works and the prices would develop.

‘Customers felt obliged to agree to those further works for numerous causes together with the truth that the work had already been began and the truth that Martin would state that the work was being completed at a reduction as a result of he was already on website.

‘Customers have been additionally misled with frequent representations about the necessity to pay for particular supplies and objects equivalent to scaffolding.

‘These supplies did not arrive on website.

‘He additionally requested for extra funds to cowl, for instance, employees that wanted to be paid and shortfalls to cowl him misquoting the job.

‘Martin, in reality, was mendacity about what the cash was going for use for.’

When shoppers complained, Martin made excuses together with references to the upcoming dying of his mom, issues with suppliers, employees, different shoppers and autos.

The work was both not accomplished or was completed so poorly that remedial prices have been incurred.

The court docket heard Martin ‘took benefit of the shoppers’ vulnerability’ by stating that in the event that they continued to complain he would stroll off the job and refund them cash.

He additionally ‘steadily’ said he could be refunding cash – however the majority didn’t obtain something.

‘When he did refund folks, it was, it appears, solely with a view to having them take away detrimental critiques from varied websites,’ Mr Crorie added.

Martin, of Southampton, acquired lots of his prospects by the Rated People web site.

The court docket was learn Martin’s correspondence with disgruntled prospects, which included telling the involved daughter of an 84-year-old on the Isle of Wight, that ‘there’s not an opportunity in hell’ of a refund after his botch-up job.

His work was so unhealthy it precipitated one house owner’s brother to cease speaking to him after he really helpful Martin’s companies, the court docket heard.

One household, who stay in Chandler’s Ford, have been instructed ‘you bought extra likelihood of successful the lottery’, once they sought a refund of £8,500.

For any that did obtain a refund – typically promised at a measly charge of £100 per thirty days, which by no means arrived – it was on the situation they take away any detrimental critiques.

One couple, from Alresford, close to Winchester, misplaced £48,794 and needed to spend an additional £40,000 correcting the mess he had made.

A constructing surveyor professional said that ‘past the preliminary roof restore all different work undertaken by the dealer was pointless’ and that there was no justification for the whole roof to be stripped of tiles and changed with slate.

The court docket heard Martin ‘misled’ them by advising there have been rotten timbers within the roof.

He instructed a querying buyer he didn’t have membership to the Competent Roofer scheme – however that ’90 per cent of roofers didn’t have it both’.

It was heard Martin would ‘hold discovering new work to do’ regardless of ‘not finishing any of the work already paid for’.

Martin instructed Paul Harris that if he eliminated Facebook feedback and the criticism to Trading Standards, then he would refund the £50,000.

However, he by no means returned the cash, the court docket heard.

His latter dealings with Sharon Netley and Mr Harris, a job that began in September 2021 however continued into October 2022, occurred while he was on bail.

‘This defendant should not be doing any work of this sort in any respect – he’s clearly completely incompetent,’ Mr Crorie mentioned.

‘He is basically dishonest.’

In a police interview, he admitted he had no formal {qualifications} in relation to roofing and had by no means heard of the Competent Roofer Scheme.

Defending, Jennifer Brenton mentioned his buying and selling ‘was not fraudulent from the outset’. However, she admitted Martin was ‘erroneously’ figuring out work to be completed.

She mentioned it was at this level, with complaints rising and refunds being requested, Martin began ‘robbing from Peter to pay Paul’ to try to repay the ‘irate’ prospects.

Ms Brenton mentioned Martin felt regret and needed to cross on his apologies to these he had defrauded.

Judge Peter Henry mentioned: ‘He could also be incompetent at constructing, however he’s not incompetent at defrauding folks.

‘There was severe hurt precipitated as evidenced by their sufferer private statements.

‘The influence upon these has been substantial, not simply when it comes to monetary loss however when it comes to well being, anxiousness and despair and work they’ve needed to do to get their premises repaired correctly.

‘Serious, detrimental hurt has been brought on by you – your shoppers have incurred appreciable prices.

‘Your disgraceful conduct persevered over a really very long time.

‘You defrauded over 50 victims, you used bullying and aggressive behaviour to your prospects, together with utilizing a false id to be able to proceed to perpetrate fraud, after CLJ ceased to exist.

‘People like you’re a thorough menace – not solely giving the constructing trade a nasty title however for inflicting victims devastating harm.’

‘The influence of what you probably did on folks is important.

‘Many of your prospects have been susceptible.’