Rogue traders jailed for duping vulnerable widow into unnecessary roofing work

Two unscrupulous traders who duped a vulnerable Buckinghamshire resident into carrying out unnecessary works to the roof of her property have been jailed following investigation by Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards.

Jaye Cardy from Watford, and his brother George, from St Albans, were sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on 11 February 2026, following a trial in May 2025. George Cardy was convicted at trial in his absence, after he fled the country prior to the trial taking place. Police investigations showed that he had fled to Canada in January and warrants were issued for his arrest. George Cardy was later arrested by British Transport Police, at St Pancras International Station on 14 July 2025.

The Cardy brothers, trading as Smart Choice Roofing & Building Ltd, had made a cold call to the property of a widow in her 80s who lived in the Amersham area in August 2022. The men informed the homeowner, who lived alone, that they had noticed tiles were loose and would need replacing. Having previously suffered a leaking roof in her kitchen, the homeowner allowed the brothers to access the roof to investigate further. When the brothers descended, they were carrying a piece of rotten roof batten which they claimed had come from her roof and said that more significant work was required.

The brothers provided a written quotation for the works, totalling £14,200. The homeowner was asked to pay a deposit of £8,000 which she paid by cheque. The brothers requested that the cheque be made out to Jaye Cardy rather than a business account. The cheque was cashed straightaway, and the money was withdrawn in cash.

The son of the homeowner became concerned when he heard of the visit. In regular contact with his mother, he had been keeping a keen eye on the condition of her roof using a drone. The most recent images he had, only a few months prior, showed the roof to be in good condition.

Concerned that their mother had been duped, the homeowner’s son and daughter intervened and asked the brothers to stop work. After discussions, it was agreed the brothers would make the roof watertight and cease any further works. The brothers said they would refund £6,600 of the deposit, keeping £1,400 for the works carried out.

This refund was never provided. The Cardy’s claimed that this was the fault of the homeowner who provided an incorrect bank account number.

An independent expert surveyor was appointed to assess the condition of the roof. He concluded there were no significant issues with the roof other than a small maintenance job which should cost no more than £1,250. He also rated the quality of work carried out by the Cardy brothers as extremely poor.

A financial investigator also examined bank records and discovered that despite their claim, no attempt had been made to refund the deposit to the homeowner.

In court, Jaye Cardy sought to blame his absent brother, but the jury took less than 90 minutes to return guilty verdicts on both defendants to all the charges which included fraud and money laundering.

At the hearing on 11 February 2026, the two defendants were sentenced for the case brought by Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards alongside other charges brought by the Crown Prosecution Service for similar criminal cases. His Honour Judge Boyle passed down a 5-year prison sentence to Jaye Cardy with a 92-day reduction for being on an electronic monitored curfew. He was also given a 7-year Criminal Behaviour Order. George Cardy was not present during the sentencing hearing, but the judge proceeded with the sentence in his absence. He received a sentence of 2 years 10 months in prison and also received a 7-year Criminal Behaviour Order.

Mark Winn, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Regulatory Services said:

“Once again, this is a shocking tale of dishonest criminals, intent on taking advantage of an innocent, vulnerable resident for their own selfish gains. Thanks to the concerns of the victim’s family, this case was brought to our attention and the criminals have been brought to justice. I would also like to thank those in our Trading Standards team who worked tirelessly to bring this case to court and ensure that these rogue traders are unable to con any other unwitting victims in this way.

“I hope this case acts as a clear deterrent to others who may consider behaving in the same criminal way. Let me be absolutely clear: if you target vulnerable residents, Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards will pursue criminal charges against you wherever appropriate.

“I would also urge residents to stay alert to rogue traders and fraud. Never agree to work from unexpected doorstep callers, never feel pressured into quick decisions, and always use reputable, vetted traders when you need work done on your home. If you think you, a family member or a friend may have been a victim of fraud or rogue trading, please report it straight away to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or to Action Fraud.”