A rogue trader has been sentenced to a further three years after attempting to defraud residents in Hertfordshire (including areas such as Rickmansworth) and Nottinghamshire of £141,900 by falsely claiming they needed urgent roof repairs. Arthur Draper, 41, of no fixed address, targeted elderly and vulnerable homeowners between November 2022 and January 2023, using cold-calling and high‑pressure tactics to obtain payments for unnecessary, incomplete or substandard work.
At St Albans Crown Court on 23 January 2026, HHJ Mann said: “You make money by stealing from old and vulnerable people. It is what you do.” The three‑year sentence will run consecutively to a 6 years and 4 months custodial sentence imposed at Leicester Crown Court in December 2025 for similar offending, bringing Draper’s total time in prison to more than nine years. The prosecution was brought following an investigation led by Hertfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service, with operational support and funding from the National Trading Standards Tri Region Regional Investigations Team.
Draper and an accomplice obtained £90,200 via cheques and bank transfers, while they attempted to defraud a total of £141,900. In a victim impact statement, one anonymous victim said: “I became withdrawn, so much so that it is only recently that I have felt able to start rebuilding relationships with family, friends, neighbours and traders. The emotional pain is inestimable.” Hertfordshire County Council’s Executive Member for Public Health and Community Safety, Ajanta Hilton, described the scheme as “a highly organised and targeted fraud” that left victims financially harmed and emotionally distressed. In linked proceedings, Andrew Mellor, 42, pleaded guilty to money laundering and is to be sentenced later this year.
To help neighbours stay safe, the council advises never engaging with cold callers who knock on your door uninvited to offer home repairs. It recommends using the Which? Trusted Trader Scheme to find verified tradespeople, getting three independent quotes for major projects, and being cautious about online reviews. Anyone concerned they may have been targeted should contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or report the incident to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
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