Exeter builder jailed for defrauding elderly customers

An Exeter builder who defrauded vulnerable and elderly residents out of more than £59,000 has been jailed for 18 months and banned from trading for seven years.

Steven Mark Kemp, 58, of Anthony Road, Exeter, pleaded guilty at Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday (30 September) to multiple fraud offences after taking large deposits for building work he never completed.

Trading under the name Exeter Windows and Conservatories, Kemp targeted customers by requesting significant upfront payments.

In some cases, he carried out minimal preparatory work before demanding further sums, only to abandon projects entirely.

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One of his victims, a 90-year-old Exeter resident, said: “That he would abuse my trust and take my money with no intention of doing any work has left me both shocked and deeply hurt.”

Sentencing Kemp, Judge Patrick said his offending was so serious that only immediate custody was appropriate. He added that Kemp’s ill health reduced the prison term to 18 months, otherwise the sentence “would have been significantly longer.”

The case was brought by the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, which also secured a Criminal Behaviour Order against Kemp.

Fakir Mohammad Osman, Head of Trading Standards, said: “This case highlights the importance of protecting consumers from unscrupulous traders.

"We remain committed to holding those who abuse public trust for financial gain to account and this custodial sentence serves as a clear deterrent to others who might consider similar conduct.”