Prison Sentence for Fraudulent and Coercive Rogue Roofer

ROGUE ROOFER, Dermot Quilligan, 25, has been sentenced to one year’s imprisonment by a St Albans Crown Court judge for fraudulently misrepresenting the work needed on a householder’s roof in Stevenage.

Hertfordshire based, Dermot Quilligan attempted to obtain £5,400 for a roofing job when the work required was initially valued at just £60, the court heard at the sentencing hearing on 9 June.

Quilligan was further convicted for criminal damage he caused to the roof, for failing to inform the consumer of cancellation rights and for the aggressive and coercive way in which he dealt with the householder.

Roofing Work

Following storm damage, the homeowner used a website agency to find a trader to rectify her leaking guttering at her home in Ridgeway in Stevenage in October 2019. She received and accepted a quote of £60 to clean the gutter from Emerald Roofing and Building.

Two men, Dermot Quilligan and Patrick O’Brien, from Emerald Roofing and Building started work, but Quilligan, using the false name of Marcus Turner, pressurised the consumer into agreeing to further work that was not required or wanted, first to the fascia boards and then to the roof itself.

The price for the whole job rapidly escalated from £60 to £5,400.

Dermot Quilligan told the consumer that she needed to pay £2,000 for scaffolding that couldn’t be cancelled and that the money was needed straight away.

The consumer went to the building society to withdraw money to pay for the scaffolding, where a mortgage consultant at the Nationwide Building Society raised the alarm and the two men were stopped in their attempted fraud.

Trading Standards officers and police officers went to the property and the two men were immediately arrested.

Prison Sentence

Sentencing Quilligan to one year’s imprisonment, Judge Foster described the crime as “despicable conduct” involving preying on a vulnerable consumer. He concluded that Quilligan, who was absent from court and already had an outstanding arrest warrant in his name, saw how vulnerable the homeowner was, immediately exploited the situation, quoting for work that was not necessary and pressured the consumer in the process.

The court also heard that Quilligan was convicted for a dishonesty offence in Victoria, Australia in 2019, leading to his deportation back to the UK.

Shame and Regret

The second defendant, O’Brien, was found to have gone along with the scam playing a lesser role, and received a two-year conditional discharge after being found guilty by the jury of unfair and aggressive commercial practices and criminal damage to the roof. He was ordered to pay £500 to the consumer and a victim surcharge of £20.

In mitigation, Patrick O’Brien said he had been mortified to have been involved and expressed shame and regret at being part of the fraud.

Cllr Morris from Hertfordshire County Council, said: “We will continue to take fraudsters to task over such matters and prosecute in similar situations to this. Hertfordshire Trading Standards will work with the police and other agencies to prevent these rogues from defrauding innocent and often vulnerable members of the public.

“Working in partnership with others to share evidence and intelligence, this operation is a great example of how we can work together to stifle these bullies.”

The Judge recognised the public-spirited way in which the building society employee intervened and she is to receive an award from the High Sheriff.

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