A major investigation led by North Yorkshire Trading Standards has resulted in lengthy jail sentences for a criminal gang who defrauded elderly victims out of more than £1.2m.
In one of the largest cases of its kind investigated by the North Yorkshire team, Officers uncovered how the gang of cowboy builders targeted more than 20 homeowners across England and Wales, charging extortionate amounts for work which was unnecessary, poorly carried out, and often never completed.
Victims’ homes were left in need of expensive remedial work, with many vulnerable victims being subjected to harrowing ordeals which had a major detrimental impact on their quality of life.
The case, codenamed Operation Zagreb, involved years of painstaking work by North Yorkshire Trading Standards, working alongside other local authority teams and police forces across the country.
Lawrence Newbury Jnr (left) and John Mealin (image credit: North Yorkshire Council Trading Standards)
At Teesside Crown Court on 12 July, Judge Howard Crowson described the actions of Lawrence Newbury Jnr (33) of Northwich, John Mealin (39) of Hartlepool, Aonghus O’Reilly (49) of no fixed abode and Stephen Cantello (59) of Manchester, as “wholly dishonest”.
Newbury – the ringleader of the gang – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to convert criminal property and to being a member of an organised crime group. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and also received a 10-year criminal behaviour order, preventing him from cold calling or interacting with customers.
Mealin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and received five years and three months for these and other unrelated offences.
O’Reilly was convicted of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to launder and was sentenced to three years.
Cantello pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder during his trial last year and received 17 months, suspended for two years.
Due to the number of defendants in the case, sentencing has been split over two hearings and a further six defendants are set to be sentenced at the end of the month.
Preying on vulnerability
One elderly victim – who has since passed away – was initially charged £1,400 for building work at his home in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, followed shortly afterwards by a demand for a further £400. After handing over the cash, he was then asked for another £12,000 and was only prevented from writing out a cheque when a neighbour intervened.
According to a surveyor who inspected the property, the work carried out had no value at all.
In a victim impact statement, the man’s son said: “Dad didn’t open up about how he felt about things – indeed, he would internalise when things went wrong, so the effect of this offending could have been greater than I am aware.
“However, I believe dad continued to dwell on the incident. He told me he wasn’t sleeping too well afterwards and it’s likely he became more prone to anxiety living on his own.
“Dad lived a quiet life and mostly kept to himself but the stress of what had taken place would certainly not have aided his health.
“These people are predators and should be ashamed. They are preying on vulnerable people and must be stopped and made to face the consequences of their actions.”
Other victims lived in the Manchester area, London, Conwy and Wrexham in Wales, the West Midlands and Nottinghamshire.
One of the most extreme cases involved a Manchester couple in their 80s and 90s. In 2020, they were approached by several of the defendants and told their home needed a new roof and rendering, for which they would be charged £70,000.
Work continued for several months with other jobs being undertaken and in total the couple handed over £365,000.
Having examined the work carried out, investigators said it was their belief the couple had been overcharged by £347,000. The court heard that if the house had been demolished and then rebuilt it would have only cost £265,000.
When the cost of all the cases was added up it is believed the gang benefited by around £1.2m from their crimes. Financial investigations are underway to recover as much of that money as possible so victims can be compensated.
North Yorkshire Council Executive member for Trading Standards, Councillor Greg White, said: “This was an investigation that was huge in scale and complexity, but one which our Trading Standards team were determined to bring to a successful conclusion, and I commend their diligence and hard work.
“These men took advantage of the elderly and vulnerable, taking money the victims had worked hard for throughout their lives.
“The sentences handed down by the court reflect this callousness and should serve as a stark warning to others.”
