Rogue Roofer Jailed for Targeting and Threatening Elderly Widow

A rogue roofer who misled, threatened, and took thousands of pounds from an elderly victim has been jailed.

Ben Smith, 36, of Padiham, Burnley, was jailed for 22 months on Tuesday 21 July.

Persistent Pressure

Preston Crown Court heard how Smith and another trader had approached the victim, a recently bereaved woman in her 80s, offering to carry out roofing work. When she initially declined, she was shown photos purporting to show holes, missing tiles and damaged timbers in her roof.

After persistent pressure, the victim agreed to works quoted at £2,500 and Smith arranged for her to be driven to withdraw £2,000 in cash.

When the victim raised concerns about the extent and quality of repairs being completed, and refused to pay the additional £500, Smith threatened to remove tiles from the roof.

The victim contacted police and Blackpool Council’s trading standards team, who attended and launched an investigation.

In a victim impact statement, the homeowner said she was left feeling “distressed, intimidated and betrayed” by Smith’s actions.

“I feel unsafe and anxious in my own home – my sense of security and peace of mind has been taken away,” the victim said.

Rogue Roofer Jailed

At a hearing on 8 June 2026, Smith pleaded guilty to four counts of engaging in commercial practices which are aggressive, misleading by action, and misleading by omission.

He was sentenced to 12 months in custody for offences contrary to the Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading regulations. These offences were committed while Smith was subject to a suspended sentence, meaning he received 10 months consecutive custody for the earlier offence, along with 7 days consecutive for failing to surrender to bail.

Preston Crown Court also made Smith subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order for five years.

Textbook Case

Cllr Dave Flanagan, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for public protection, housing and empty properties, said: “This is a really upsetting case – that somebody would deliberately target an older, vulnerable person is despicable.

“I’m immensely grateful to our Trading Standards team who thoroughly investigated this incident, building a strong case for court that’s reflected in the sentence handed down. Just as importantly, they offered the victim kindness, reassurance and professionalism.

“It was a textbook case of rogue trading, including cold calling, high-pressure sales practices, the exploitation of fear, demands for immediate payment, and the targeting of a vulnerable person. The victim’s account and the evidence our team gathered show a clear disregard for legislation and the real harm that such practices can cause.

“We take all reports of this nature seriously and will use all the powers at our disposal to bring people to justice.”

>> Read about more roofing court cases in the news