Cruel rogue trader working in Portsmouth 'charmed' Southsea pensioner out of £140,000 from life savings for 'worthless' roof work

A CRUEL rogue trader who charmed a pensioner into paying more than £140,000 from her life savings for ‘worthless’ maintenance work has been jailed.
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Michael McCann, 25, first befriended his victim, a Southsea woman in her 70s, before tricking her into handing over £20,000 in cash and signing away £123,000 in cheques over several months.

Heartless McCann used ‘blackmail’ to stop her going to the authorities – but a PCSO concerned about the work alerted Portsmouth City Council’s trading standards team.

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Now he has been condemned as ‘especially cruel’ after he was jailed for 32 months at Portsmouth Crown Court for making thousands from bogus work.

Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Hampshire police
Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Hampshire police
Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Hampshire police

Sentencing, Recorder Charles Langley said the fraudster ‘targeted an elderly lady and used his charm to empty her accounts’.

He added: ‘The work undertaken was virtually worthless and will need remedial work.

‘Mr McCann tried to use blackmail to stop the victim from taking further action, consequently the victim no longer feels safe in her own home.’

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McCann, of Bowden Road, Poole in Dorset, paid back just £15,000 of the money he took between June and September in 2019.

Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City CouncilMichael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City Council

He admitted three charges of fraud - by claiming there was damp brick in the roof, saying it would cost £143,000 to sort and presenting an invoice claiming some work cost £65,000.

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Trading standards found ‘only a small amount of unnecessary work had in fact been carried out’ and the victim was ‘misled and grossly overcharged’.

Councillor Steve Pitt, the council’s deputy leader, said: ‘This was an especially cruel case of someone taking advantage of a vulnerable member of our community for their own financial gain.

Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City CouncilMichael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
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‘The council's trading standards officers worked hard over many months and in partnership with the police to gather the necessary evidence, build a clear case and secure a conviction.’

McCann also admitted carrying on a business, Roofline, with the intention to defraud, being a trader engaged in reckless commercial practice, and money laundering.

Richard Lee, regulatory services manager, said: ‘We welcome the sentence delivered and are pleased that the court recognised the financial and emotional harm caused by this unscrupulous rogue trader.

Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City CouncilMichael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
Michael McCann, 25, from Poole in Dorset befriended a Southsea woman in her 70s and over several months charged her £140,000 for bogus maintenance work. Picture: Portsmouth City Council

‘Knowing her to be vulnerable, Mr McCann deliberately befriended his victim so she believed him to be trustworthy, before tricking her into paying him over £140,000 of her life savings.’

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Officers at trading standards are investigating whether they can claw back more cash via his assets and other sanctions to ban him from rogue trading again.

Seek help if you have concerns

ANYONE concerned about rogue traders should contact the council’s trading standards team.

That is the message from Portsmouth City Council after Michael McCann was jailed.

Richard Lee, head of regulatory services, said: ‘We hope this case and the subsequent prison sentence serve as a warning to other rogue traders that they will not get away with their crimes and will be brought to account.’

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The council urges people to research the company you want to carry out work, and ask for references, particularly if you have been cold called.

Residents can contact [email protected] or call (023) 9283 4092 to get a sticker advising cold callers to stay away.

People are advised to shop around for several quotes for a job, and avoid cash payments for any work.

Visit Citizens Advice Portsmouth at caportsmouth.org.uk or call (023) 9400 6600 for further advice.

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Contact [email protected] or call the council’s city helpdesk (023) 9283 4092 to report any rogue traders.

Deputy council leader Councillor Steve Pitt added: ‘Anyone who is worried that they, or someone they know, may have been targeted by a rogue trader should report it immediately.

‘We will investigate and seek justice for residents who have fallen victim to such criminality.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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