Jailed: Rogue roofer who targeted elderly and vulnerable people in the Black Country

In September 2019, having recently been released from prison on licence, Steven Murphy began to target people living in Halesowen and Sedgley.

Residents reported their concerns to the police and Dudley Council's trading standards and informed them that a rogue roofer was operating in the area.

Trading standards investigated five separate cases and found that Murphy used the same tactics with each elderly or vulnerable victim.

He cold called each victim in person at their home, offering to clean their gutters for a modest sum of £40.

He then, almost immediately in some cases, identified other roofing work that he said was required and persuaded them to spend thousands of pounds having substantial but unnecessary repairs and roofing work carried out.

When interviewed by trading standards, Murphy confirmed he had been in the building and roofing industry for 30 years but denied all allegations made against him.

Trading standards took the matter to court but as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, there were a number of delays in the legal process.

Murphy, of Buryfield Road, Solihull pleaded guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court in January this year for one offence under the Fraud Act 2006.

When in court, the prosecution’s case submitted that the loss to the victims as a result of the fraudulent trading offence was at least £16,100, with an attempt to defraud a further £5,500.

The rogue trader was sentenced to three years in prison on July 30.

Councillor James Clinton, Dudley Council's cabinet member for public health, said: "Thanks to the efforts of our trading standards officers, Murphy has been stopped in his tracks and is now serving time behind bars.

"Let this be a warning to others, we will investigate and we will do all we can to protect residents, including our most vulnerable and elderly."