Builder jailed after conning pensioner out of life savings

A builder has been jailed after conning a pensioner out of over £120,000 of his life savings.

The 76-year-old pensioner was approached by a group of builders in 2004, offering him a free roof survey of his Hertfordshire home.

They went on to carry out a series of unnecessary and substandard jobs, costing the pensioner £66,000.

The builders then arranged for another man, Gary McCullagh, to pose as a Customs and Excise officer and tell the pensioner he had been a victim of a VAT scam and would have to pay a further £61,400 to avoid prison.

McCullagh was caught when the pensioner alerted police earlier this year. They waited in for the builder when he turned up to collect a further £12,000 from the pensioner on 4 April.

He has been jailed for seven years.