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Dodgy roof repairman admits role in scamming £22,000 from OAP

Kevin Russell, 43, conned Carol Primrose out of thousands of pounds but later pled guilty to a single charge of fraud at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Kevin Russell pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Images: Spindrift/Google Street View
Kevin Russell pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Images: Spindrift/Google Street View

A bogus workman from Aberdeen played a role in conning an elderly woman out of £22,000 for dodgy roof repairs that weren’t even worth a penny.

John Forrest, 38, and Kevin Russell, 43, scammed Carol Primrose, 81, between August and November 2020.

Forrest, of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, cold-called Carol telling the pensioner that she needed her roof repaired.

But he sporadically turned up at her home in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, and requested thousands in payments on six occasions.

After the repairs were found to be faulty, Russell, of Aberdeen, took on the job and asked for even more money.

Bogus roof repairmen Kevin Russell, left, and John Forrest, right. Images: Spindrift

An independent surveyor later assessed the work to be “exceptionally poor” and cost Carol £14,000 to fix the damage.

Forrest and Russell both pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a single charge of fraud.

The court heard that Forrest told Carol that her garage and house roofs were in need of urgent repair.

Carol was unaware of repair work needing to be carried out but she gave the go-ahead for the work anyway.

Forrest attended on August 12 and requested £1,500 via bank transfer to his own account.

‘Very slow and sporadic’ work

Forrest – sometimes with others – visited “sporadically” over the next two weeks.

Prosecutor Darren Harty said: “Forrest was only ever at the property for a couple of hours at a time and the victim cannot recall if any work was being carried out while he was there”.

Forrest requested a further £4,000 and £2,000 which Carol paid to the same account.

Joiners working at the property discovered a leak where Forrest had been working.

This was brought to Carol’s attention who then asked Forrest to rectify the issue.

Mr Harty said: “Forrest agreed and on August 24, he requested a further £6,000 to be transferred to him”.

He went on to ask for another £5,000 on the two days that followed, which was also paid.

Mr Harty added: “From August 12 to August 26, Carol paid a total of £18,500 via online bank transfer to Forrest”.

The fiscal depute stated that the work was “very slow and sporadic” and it all but stopped in September 2020.

Due to concerns over legitimacy, Carol contacted Forrest who told her that he was ill with coronavirus and would be unable to complete the job.

He apologised and claimed he would arrange for someone else to finish the job.

Russell attended Carol’s home in November 2020 and went onto the roof.

‘The value of the work is £0’

Mr Harty said: “He requested a payment from Carol of £3,500 and provided his bank account details as well as a receipt”.

At the end of the month, Carol and her nephew reported the matter to the police.

Arrangements were made with Trading Standards to inspect the work through an approved surveyor.

Mr Harty said: “The surveyor concluded that the works carried out were completed to an unsatisfactory standard.

“He also provided eight recommendations that should be carried out to fix the issues created by the men.

“He stated that it will cost Carol £14,000 to have the damage caused by them rectified.

“The report states that the work carried out is exceptionally poor and the value of the work is £0.”

Both men were traced and, while Forrest gave a no-comment interview, Russell admitted working on the roof and asking for the cash to be put in his bank account.

Sheriff Daniel Kelly deferred the sentencing of the pair, who were both bailed, until next month to allow time for background reports to be produced.

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