Editor’s note – Wayne Tredwell was acquitted of the charges at the end of the trial

A BUILDER conned a businessman out of almost £20,000 and moved to Australia after claiming to be doing work for his brother’s firm, a court heard.

Wayne Tredwell, 52, of Rayleigh Road, Benfleet, was employed as a builder for Leigh-based firm WindowFix, owned by his brother Phil.

He was doing work for the company, using a branded van and t-shirts, at a property in Grange Drive, Leigh, in October 2014 when he was approached by a neighbour.

Basildon Crown Court heard the neighbour was company director Stephen Bessant, who was set to move to a new home in Leigh and wanted work done on his property.

He told the court: “He introduced himself and his exact words were: ‘My name is Wayne Tredwell. I’m the builder for WindowFix. My brother Phil owns the company but I do all the building work.”

Mr Bessant said Tredwell then said “I’m the man you should be talking to” and handed him some branded business cards.

Neil King, prosecuting, told the court the pair agreed three quotes for a kitchen extension, a garage conversion and a loft conversion.

The first payment of £6,400 was made on December 2. Work then started on December 4.

A further payment of £6,500 was made on December 10 and a final payment of £6,500 was made on December 22.

He said: “The defendant asked for money to be paid into an account. It was in fact his personal bank account and at no time did he tell them that.

“On December 28 the defendant left the property. He never returned to it.”

After a few days, Mr and Mrs Bessant became concerned and tried to contact Tredwell by text.

Mr King said: “On January 15 he told them that he was living on a beach in Kent...Australia.”

Five days later, company boss Phil Tredwell arrived at the property to look at the fake quotes and see whether the firm could complete the work for the agreed price.

But Mr King said he could not honour the contract.

He said: “As far as he was concerned WindowFix had not done any work and this was not their contract.”

The couple resorted to getting another firm in to complete the work, at extra expense.

Mr King said the Bessants later “bumped into” Tredwell when he returned from Australia and tried to convince him to return the cash.

He refused and the couple called the police.

The court heard the quotes were drawn up on what appeared to be headed notepaper. However, they were in fact cheap print-outs of official letters made on the back of old fax receipts.

Tredwell claims the couple were aware he was not working for Windowfix and denies three counts of fraud by false representation.

The trial continues.