Two men have been sent to prison after conning a homeowner in York, North Yorkshire, out of nearly £93,000 for building work that was either poor quality or not needed. According to the North Yorkshire Police Economic Crime Unit, the pair used intimidation to trick the victim into making 24 separate payments over three months.
Patrick Joseph Connors, 44, from Bristol, was jailed for five years and John Joseph McEvoy, 33, from Cardiff, was jailed for three years at York Crown Court on 19 March 2026. The scam began in October 2021 when the men knocked on the door of a man in his early 60s and claimed his roof and gutters needed urgent fixing.
Although the homeowner initially said no, the men started the work anyway and claimed they had found more serious issues like cracks in the walls. An expert surveyor who later looked at the house confirmed that the work was done to a very poor standard and was worth far less than the money handed over.
Officers caught the pair on 5 January 2022 after the victim reported the fraud and police learned the builders were planning to return to the house the next day. The victim has been paid back about half of his money by his bank, but investigations are still ongoing regarding other people who may be involved in the case.
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