A builder who conned elderly and vulnerable victims out of thousands of pounds, offering a litany of excuses for his failure to complete work, has been jailed. Over a seven-year period, James Bell repeatedly took money for around 30 projects which he never finished, causing distress to his victims.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how he swindled customers in Middlesbrough , Darlington , North Yorkshire , Newcastle, Morpeth, Stocksfield, Durham, Berwick, out of a total of £130,913. This figure does not account for the additional costs victims faced in rectifying his shoddy work or completing unfinished projects.

Among his victims were a 94-year-old and a 90-year-old. Another victim had significant mobility issues and one had disabled children.

One woman handed over £2,000 to Bell to mo

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