A ROGUE roofer has been jailed for three years after targeting elderly and vulnerable residents in the Dudley borough.

Steven Murphy, of Buryfield Road, Solihull, pleaded guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court in January this year to fraudulent trading under the Fraud Act 2006.

In September 2019, having recently being released from prison on licence, Murphy began to target residents in the Halesowen and Sedgley areas.

Residents reported concerns to the police and Dudley Council’s trading standards and informed them a rogue roofer was operating in the area.

Trading standards investigated five separate cases and found Murphy used the same tactics with each elderly or vulnerable victim.

He cold called each victim in person at their home offering to clean their gutters for £40. He then, almost immediately in some cases, identified other roofing work that he said was required and then persuaded them to agree to spend thousands of pounds having substantial but unnecessary repairs and roofing work carried out.

When interviewed by trading standards, Murphy confirmed he had been in the building and roofing industry for 30 years but denied all allegations made against him.

Trading standards took the case to court but the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the legal process.

When in court in January, the prosecution’s case submitted that the loss to the victims as a result of the fraudulent trading offence was at least £16,100, with an attempt to defraud a further £5,500. Murphy was eventually sentenced to three years in prison on Monday July 30.

Councillor James Clinton, Dudley Council's cabinet member for public health, said: “Thanks to the efforts of our trading standards officers, Murphy has been stopped in his tracks and is now serving time behind bars."

He said the case should serve as a warning to others, adding: "We will do all we can to protect residents, including our most vulnerable and elderly.”