A ROGUE trader from Bushey who conned four elderly people out of money for roofing work was ordered on Friday, March 30, to pay compensation of £49,000.

Joseph Brazil, from Sandy Lane, pleaded guilty to 25 incidents of deception at a hearing on October 3, 2006, and was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment at St Albans Crown Court on November 1.

Between February 1999 and August 2005, Brazil repeatedly visited the four elderly victims, two in Watford and two in Bushey, conning them out of money for roofing work which was either not carried out or completed to a poor standard.

Jane Barnes, from the Financial Investigation Unit, said: "This is a great result, where an offender has been forced to compensate people he has conned in the past.

"It's extremely satisfying to see victims getting their money back after being so callously treated by a rogue trader."

Trading Standards advises that when door-to-door sales people call unannounced they must provide a notice in writing, indicating the right of a customer to cancel the contract within seven days.

Work can be cancelled even if they have started the work.

The best way for consumers to protect themselves from rogue traders, however, is to not let someone who calls unannounced to do work on your property. Reputable traders do not need to tout for work in this way.