Richard Sullivan, who posed as a reputable tradesman offering roofing and general building work, was sentenced at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on Wednesday (29 October) after being found guilty of offences under the Fraud Act 2006.

The court heard how Sullivan, 50, of Sandown, repeatedly failed to provide the legally required 14-day cancellation notice for contracts formed through door-to-door sales, leaving customers without protection.

Over several months, Sullivan targeted homeowners by making unsolicited approaches offering guttering and similar work, often leaving handwritten notes through letterboxes thanking residents for their “enquiry” — even though no such enquiries had been made.

Once contacted, he would agree work verbally, take large deposits or full payments, and then either fail to start the job or abandon it after carrying out minimal, substandard work.

One victim handed over £2,960 for a garden wall rebuild that never began. In several cases, Sullivan pocketed thousands and never returned the money when customers cancelled.

Sentencing Sullivan, Recorder James Bromige said he had caused harm that went beyond financial loss, leaving victims with property damage and emotional distress, as shown in their personal statements.

The judge highlighted that Sullivan acted as a sole trader with full control over the operation and personally profited from the fraud.

Addressing Sullivan directly, the judge said: “You needed money, and you needed it fast. You turned to building work — a get-rich-quick scheme.” 

Money intended for home improvements was instead used to pay off debts and outgoings, while many residents were left with incomplete or poor-quality work.

The court also noted that this scam mirrored the structure of his previous offences in 2016.

James Potter, the council’s Trading Standards and community safety manager, welcomed the sentence and urged residents to remain vigilant. He said: “Richard Sullivan caused significant financial detriment to local residents through his trading practices and had many previous criminal convictions.

“Hopefully this result will serve as a deterrent to others, demonstrate what we do to protect our local residents and ensure there’s a level playing field for genuine and honest businesses on the island.”

James also praised the effort behind the case: “These investigations require a large amount of work, skill and professionalism to ensure they are ready for the crown court.

“The teamwork between Trading Standards and our Legal Services team demonstrates how well this has worked to achieve this result. I want to thank those involved in the case for all of their hard and diligent work.”

Advice for homeowners

• Always ask for written contracts and cancellation rights.
• Avoid paying large deposits before work begins.
• Use recommended or accredited traders where possible.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by a rogue trader can contact Trading Standards.