A ROGUE trader who conned a woman out of her life savings weeks later posed as a Good Samaritan.

Mervyn Rhys Richards, 43, pleaded guilty this week at Taunton Magistrates' Court to charging the elderly woman in Watchet £27,500 to replace her roof when the work wasn't necessary.

In March last year, Richards, of Bourne Road, Moredon, Swindon, responded to an advert to repair a roof.

He drove to Somerset to visit the property and told the householder the work could only be guaranteed if the roof was completely replaced.

The victim agreed to pay him £27,500 and used her life savings to do so, but later called Avon and Somerset Police as she felt she had been scammed.

READ MORE: Rogue trader hit with near £40,000 court bill.

The police in turn contacted Heart of the South West Trading Standards.

An independent surveyor employed by that organisation examined the roof and concluded the work was not reasonably necessary, was overcharged, was not in accordance with the invoice or British Standards and the value of the work was estimated to be nil because of the remedial work required.

Richards, who traded as MR Build IT Property Maintenance, was then prosecuted under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Magistrates sitting in Taunton fined him £6,500 and ordered him to pay a £190 victim surcharge, £4,250 towards prosecution costs and £27,500 in compensation to his victim.

In summing up, District Judge Brereton said the elderly victim had used her life savings to pay for the work, but gave Richards credit for his guilty plea, that he showed genuine remorse and is committed to recompensing the victim.

The tradesman had previously contacted the Swindon Advertiser newspaper in May after he offered to replace £150 taken from a young mother's purse.

The woman was shopping at the Simply Local shop on Moredon Road when her purse was taken.

At the time he said: “I saw the article in the paper and I thought it was a pretty sad thing to happen and to replace it is a nice gesture for someone in the local community.

"Times are hard at this minute so it is good to help those that are less fortunate.”

Alex Fry, operations manager for Heart of the South West Trading Standards, said: “This case hopefully sends a clear message to rogue traders that where necessary we will put you before the Courts.

"I would like to thank the victim in this case for coming forward and reporting the incident and supporting the investigation.”

Cllr Ros Wyke, Somerset Council lead member for economic development, planning and assets, said: “Yet again, another great example of our trading standards service safeguarding the community and taking rogue traders to Court.

“If you’re suspicious that something feels like a scam, please check. Simply visit Citizens Advice or call on 0808 223 1133.

“And remember, if a trader is genuine, they won’t mind you checking.”