A Llanelli man has been fined after climbing into the garden of a 92-year-old woman in Swansea in a bid to force her to pay for garden maintenance work.
Shane Lee of 70 Brynawelon, Bryn Llanelli pleaded guilty at Swansea Magistrates for failing to comply with consumer regulations aimed at protecting the public from paying for services they do not want.
Swansea Trading Standards and local Police undertook an investigation of Mr Lee after the son of the elderly lady complained he was forcing her to pay for garden maintenance work she did not want.
Mr Lee called repeatedly at the lady’s home and took cash from her for work without providing any receipts or invoices.
Although he was told not to call again, Mr Lee continued to call and on one occasion climbed the lady’s garden wall and appeared at her kitchen window.
The family of the lady claim she is still very distressed by the ordeal and warned others to be vigilant.
The son of the elderly lady, who did not want to be named, said, “My mother has suffered a complete loss of confidence since the events occurred. She was very independent but says she feels like a prisoner in her own home. She also ended up paying out a lot of money for work which probably wasn’t done.
“The Police and Trading Standards have done a commendable job and we are very grateful.”
Mr Lee pleaded guilty of failing to comply with the Cancellation of Contracts made in a consumers home Regulations 2008. Following his guilty plea a fine of £500 was imposed on him along with £505 in costs to the Council and Mr Lee was also ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.
Detective Inspector Peter Azzapardi said “This was a particularly nasty incident where an older member of the community was intimidated to have work carried out in her garden without being provided with the chance to discuss the work with members of her family.
“After a prompt police and trading standards investigation we were able to determine that the offences against Trading Standards legislation were the most appropriate to use in order to bring this matter to justice.”
Martin Saville, Swansea Council’s Head of Public Protection Services said, “A seven day cooling off period to cancel a contract made in your own home is an essential consumer right.
“Frequently consumers make decisions which they later regret because they have not been given the opportunity to think carefully about the work or to discuss it family members or friends. Cooling off and cancellation provisions are particularly important which is why it is a criminal offence not to provide them.”
