Patrick Damien Hartley, 52, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison after defrauding 13 homeowners out of nearly £700,000 in the North West of England. Hartley abandoned many construction projects, leaving properties unfinished and causing significant damage, including water leaks and structural issues. The Lancashire County Council prosecuted Hartley after receiving complaints from homeowners in September 2022. He pleaded guilty to multiple fraud and consumer protection offences committed between 2020 and 2023.
Victims reported spending thousands more to rectify Hartley's incomplete work. For example, Phillippa Edgar, who paid Hartley almost £100,000 for a garage extension, had to spend an additional £89,000 to make the building safe. Another victim, Joanne Dagostina, paid £64,216 for renovations that were never completed, leading to safety concerns about her property.
Hartley was described by local officials as 'one of the most prolific and heartless' fraudsters encountered by the council. Alongside his prison sentence, he received a seven-year criminal behaviour order preventing him from engaging in private building work. His case is currently undergoing confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.