A man known as a “cowboy builder” has been sent to jail for defrauding a family of £100,000 under the pretense of constructing a new extension, but ultimately leaving their residence in a dilapidated state.
Andy Clarke, aged 46, and his spouse, Lisa Clark, aged 43 and pregnant at the time, entrusted Michael Parr, now 55, with £98,000 to expand their home with an additional bedroom and bathroom, involving the installation of an extra floor and new roof. However, after three months, Parr abruptly ceased work, abandoning the property wrapped in scaffolding, vulnerable to the weather, and lacking the promised extension.
The distressed couple from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, had to spend an extra £150,000 with another company to complete the project. They attribute the stress of the situation to a miscarriage suffered by Lisa, a teacher, during the turmoil.
Parr was sentenced to two years and eight months at Nottingham Crown Court on October 3. Andy, the head of the consulting division, expressed his dismay, stating that despite initial appearances, Parr turned their house into a disaster, causing immense stress and potentially contributing to the miscarriage.
Andy and Lisa initially engaged Parr in January 2019, impressed by his portfolio and positive client feedback, agreeing on a £106,900 contract. They financed the renovation by remortgaging their property, making an initial payment of £33,881, with construction starting in April.
Despite assurances that the job would be completed by August, Parr’s visits became irregular, and excuses for delays piled up, leading to his disappearance in July 2019 after receiving most of the payment. Subsequently, Andy faced further delays and false promises from Parr, leading to legal threats and police involvement.
A surveyor later revealed that only 30% of the work had been done, with half requiring redoing due to poor quality. To fund the additional work, the couple had to extract more equity from their property and take on loans and credit card debt.
Finally, the project was finished in August 2022, 16 months after Parr started. Investigations uncovered Parr’s other victims, leading to his admission of fraud. Reflecting on the ordeal, Andy expressed relief at the legal closure and hoped Parr’s punishment would deter future scams.
Nottinghamshire Police praised the victims for their cooperation in exposing Parr’s fraudulent activities, highlighting the seriousness with which fraud is handled and the commitment to bringing perpetrators to justice.