A rogue electrician who conned people out of cash and left one home at risk of burning down has been stopped from trading.
Peter Gold would tell his victims their electricals were beyond repair and then charge hidden call-out fees.
Gold, who has no qualifications as an electrician, advertised his services offering special deals for pensioners.
Often the items he ‘tested’ could have been easily fixed by a qualified electrician.
Often the items he ‘tested’ could have been easily fixed by a qualified electrician.
He tricked 16 people out of £475 between 2008 and 2010.
Now the 65-year-old – who also uses the name Robert Pegley – has been slapped with an indefinite Anti-Social Behaviour Order preventing him from practising as an electrician.
Ethu Crorie, prosecuting at Portsmouth Crown Court, said: ‘He was running the business for a fraudulent purpose.
‘He was not interesting in actually doing any work, but was really interested in collecting money – mainly in the form of call-out fees – for doing little or no work at all.’
In one case Gold’s failure to fix a fault could have sparked a fire.
But despite failing to fix the problem at Phillipa Arnell’s St Andrew’s Road flat in Southsea, Gold charged £90 for the call-out.
Luckily the teacher called another electrician who charged £30 for fixing the socket.
Gold admitted running a fraudulent business, money laundering, two counts of carrying out unfair commercial practices, six counts of making misleading omissions and three counts of carrying out misleading actions. As well as the ASBO he was given a three-month suspended sentence and told to pay £475 compensation and £15,000 costs.
Gold, of Bursledon Road, Purbrook, was ordered not to leave his home between 7pm and 7am for six months.
Judge Ian Pearson, sentencing, said: ‘It’s perfectly clear that you are a rogue trader.
‘You have no qualifications whatsoever and this business was dishonest from the very beginning. Any work you did was useless or defective or downright dangerous.’
Councillor Ken Thornber, Hampshire County Council leader, said: ‘This is a very positive result and we hope this case will act as a deterrent to others in the future.’
