Kitchen clink: Rogue trader jailed for fraud

JAILED . . .Paul Bottomley

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A ROGUE trader described as an "expert in manipulation" has been jailed following an investigation by Oldham Council's Trading Standards department.

Paul Bottomley (45), of Kingswood Road, Middleton, was jailed for 20 months after pleading guilty to defrauding four individuals out of £9,596.07.

He was also disqualified from being a company director for nine years at his hearing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on February 16.

Trading Standards launched an investigation after a number of residents from Oldham and the surrounding areas made complaints after kitchen components they paid for were not supplied, fitted or were found to be defective.

One case, in 2015, saw Mike Wood pay more than £4,046 to Bottomley for granite kitchen work tops which never arrived.

Another alleged victim, Joe Meehan, paid Bottomley more than £3,700 for the supply and fitting of a kitchen.

The job was not completed and the buyer was left without any cooking and washing facilities.

During this time Bottomley, who also used the name Paul Wright to evade investigators, had applied to Companies House to strike off his firm - Smart Kitchens (UK) Ltd, of 70-72 Heyside, Royton.

However, he continued to take money from consumers knowing the company was about to cease trading.

Trading standards found Bottomley traded under various guises, including Oldham Kitchens Limited, Cheaper Kitchens, Pauls Kitchens4U, Avour kitchens and bedrooms and Premier Glass Backs.

Trading Standards received 24 complaints from the public about firms Bottomley was connected to. These included non-delivery of goods following payment, poor workmanship, defective goods and safety issues.

In passing sentence Judge Nield said fraud requires manipulation of others, which Bottomley was "an expert of".

She added that Bottomley would have known the impact his conduct would have had due to his previous conviction in 2012 where he received an eight month sentence suspended for 12 months and received 200 hours of community service for committing five similar offences.

Bottomley's defence said he had savings of £2,100 which he intended to use to repay to his victims.

Judge Nield ordered that this be paid to the four victims who were detailed on the indictment on a pro-rata basis based on the value of the monies Bottomley obtained from them.

She said: "This did not reflect their loss, and nor was it intended to, but this was the best that could be done."

Councillor Fida Hussain, Oldham Council's Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: "The sentence in this case reflects the severity of the fraudulent practices and also the impact that this had upon the consumers.

"The team will continue to investigate allegations of unfair trading practices and take action where necessary."

Four complaints received were the charges in court.

The first saw the complainant pay £3,500 to Smart Kitchens (UK) Ltd in June 2014 but received no goods or a refund.

The second complainant placed a £550 deposit on October 8, 2014, for a new kitchen yet received no goods.

A third complainant, who contracted with Bottomley in relation to the supply and fitting of granite, paid £1,500 in June 2015 yet received no granite with monies still outstanding.

The fourth, Mike Wood, contracted with Bottomley in relation to the fitting of a kitchen, tiling work and the supply and fitting of granite.

Between March 30, 2015, and April 17, 2015, Mr Wood paid £3,674 for granite by bank transfer but none was supplied.

Mr Wood states he is owed £4,046.07 for the granite and other items that have not been supplied.

Mr Wood said: "All credit to trading standards and to Oldham Council for pursuing him because this guy wouldn't have cared. I think he caught onto an easy way to make money."

He said: "I take no pleasure in the fact that he has been sentenced. But he had to be stopped. He thought he was above the law and thought that nobody could touch him.

"The lasting damage is it just makes you wary of people in the future."

A fifth complaint which wasn't brought as a charge saw Joe Meehan, of Middleton, and his girlfriend, left without cooking and washing facilities at her home after paying £3,703 in January 2015 for the supply and fitting of a kitchen which was never completed.

Bottomley had originally worked on Mr Meehan's kitchen which is why he recommended him.

Mr Meehan said: "His name needs to get out there because he will do it again."