A rogue trader who cold called an 89-year-old trying to fleece of thousands of pounds has been jailed.

Adam Rafferty, 26, of Reading, was sentenced to 18 months and five year director disqualification, plus victim surcharge of £100.

Rafferty, trading as Oakwood Wall Coating and Roofing Ltd, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on May 19 2014.

In 2012 Rafferty called an elderly Barkingside resident and offered to do some roofing work for £15,000.

The resident agreed to go to Lloyds TSB in Cranbrook Road, but a member of staff at the bank noticed something was not right and alerted the police.

Rafferty had only established his company two months before the crime.

There were no skilled workmen employed by him and the paperwork was illegal as the “right to cancel” was not included.

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