A couple who endured immense suffering due to a dishonest contractor’s empty pledges regarding their ideal coastal residence claim that thebuilder’s series of devastations has left them and others feeling utterly heartbroken.
Michael Anderson, aged 76 and from Porthcawl in southern Wales, received a prison sentence of three and a half years after pleading guilty to defrauding six individuals of £260,000.
Included among those affected were Andy and Denise Fitzgerald, who had their charming seaside retirement marred when both incurred back injuries attempting to fix Anderson’s inferior craftsmanship.
A different victim, Jessica Reader, suffered a loss of over £130,000 due to Anderson’s actions regarding her environmentally friendly house; however, she felt that his imprisonment provided a sense of justice.
The judge stated that Anderson’s behavior had “destroyed people’s lives and their aspirations.”
Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald were living in Bedford when they enlisted Anderson’s help to build their retirement home on the beachfront in Porthcawl in 2019.
Mrs Fitzgerald was eager to return to Wales, so Anderson organized temporary housing close by for them, as he had assured her that the work was nearly finished.
However, upon their arrival, the couple realized that numerous issues remained unresolved, such as problems with the roof and the exterior deck.
The pair mentioned that after months of trying to get Anderson to resolve the problems, he ultimately informed them that he had exhausted his funds, even though he had assured that the house would be completed within one year.
“Andy said it was heartbreaking,” she expressed.
“But there was a lot more rage and anger at that point, as much as heartbreak, that ‘you’ve conned us’.
You have been aware of this task for some time now, so it turned out to be rather challenging.
Andy and Denise had to dip into their pension funds and savings to repair the property, which dashed their dreams of retiring without a mortgage.
The fraud amount against them was said by the court to be £43,000, although their estimate of the total loss was significantly higher.
Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald also suffered back injuries while trying to do some of the work themselves, having run out of money to pay others.
It was a particularly cruel blow for Mrs Fitzgerald, a former competitive cyclist.
“Now I can’t do my cycling, I can’t do running, so my dreams of triathlon, I’ve given all that up,” she said.
“For me that was my mental outlet, to keep myself sane. And I’ve not been able to do any of that.”
The ordeal put a strain on the couple’s relationship too, with Mrs Fitzgerald telling the court that Anderson was a “bully” who had “put us through hell… [and] never once apologised”.
“How we’ve managed to stay together as a couple, I don’t know,” she said.
“It’s been this black cloud around you all the time, and no way to get out of it.”
Another victim of Anderson was Jessica Reader, who gave him over £130,000 to construct a modest eco-home on some land in Wenvoe, located near Cardiff.
Ms. Reader mentioned, “He came across as very professional and mentioned his experience of working in the construction industry for five decades.”
However, a pledge stating that the house would be completed by May 2021 — just two months following the start of construction — proved to be far from accurate. Soon afterward, significant problems with the roofing emerged.
She explained that it was merely a simple structure covered with some felt material, and the roof was made of black plastic, which became even more problematic when the rain began to seep in and the temperatures dropped.
He continually assured me with ‘we will resolve this issue for you, please have no fear.’
But that never happened, and a despairing Ms Reader had to resort to climbing onto the roof herself to cover or air it, depending on the weather.
She has since spent tens of thousands more paying new builders to rectify the mistakes, paid for by extra shifts at her veterinary job and an inheritance she received.
But the mental burden took its toll on Ms Reader, who told the court in her victim impact statement that the ordeal had left her feeling suicidal.
She stated that she totally fell apart.
I find it impossible to convey just how terrible it was back then… when someone deliberately caused you such harm.
At that point, I didn’t have any resources remaining to address the situation. The structure was deteriorating.
Simultaneously, various events unfolded in life, culminating in one of the most despondent and bleak emotions I’ve experienced.
It’s incredibly disheartening to feel helpless in such circumstances, especially when you have no say in how things unfold.
After an inquiry conducted by Bridgend County Borough Council, Anderson faced charges related to four instances of fraud and three violations concerning consumer protection.
Following his admission of guilt, he received a sentence of three and a half years in prison on April 28 at Cardiff Crown Court.
His wife Sandra Anderson, 66, also pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property, namely £35,000 from two other victims, Andrea and Richard Booth.
An 18-month suspended sentence was imposed on her.
The court learned that the overall sum of Anderson’s fraudulent activity amounted to £263,000. Despite this, he possessed approximately £200,000 in assets that might now undergo procedures aimed at recovering the proceeds from his criminal actions.
When sentencing Anderson, Judge Eugene Egan stated that he had caused “a trail of devastation,” demonstrating “deceitful and low behavior” along with a “careless disregard” for his clients’ well-being.
He stated, ‘In casual terms, you took advantage of them,’ adding, ‘You’ve destroyed people’s lives and their aspirations.’
The judge added: “Instances such as this erode the public’s trust.”
‘You won’t get me’
The result was unexpected for Anderson’s victims, with many present in court to hear the sentencing.
“She stated, ‘no one has ever understood me, you won’t understand me – it’s futile,’” remarked Mrs. Fitzgerald.
“So we were actually pleased with the sentence that he did get.”
Mr. Fitzgerald stated that this could serve as a “wakeup call” for other dishonest contractors.
He mentioned that for some individuals, it might not be so straightforward, thinking they can escape consequences.
It’s possible this deterrent might prevent others from being impacted similarly.
Miss Reader aims for revisions in legislation to ensure the construction industry becomes “better controlled.”
She mentioned that it wasn’t until something happened to her that she realized anybody could refer to themselves as a builder.
And if anything occurs, they could simply close down and restart with another name, potentially in a different location. Yes, this makes things quite challenging.
Mr. Fitzgerald mentioned that witnessing Anderson’s imprisonment provided him with a sense of resolution.
He mentioned that if he had just received a mild punishment, it wouldn’t have felt as impactful.
However, to sense that there is some aspect of fairness within it… that truly is quite beneficial.
If you’ve been impacted by the matters discussed in this narrative, assistance and support can be obtained through the following resources:
Action Line
.
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