Conman Repair Man Gets Suspended Prison Sentence

A repair man conned his unsuspecting customers out of money without actually doing any repairs.

Henry Gordon Douglas of Carrowdore, who uses a variety of trading names, was today sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years at Bangor Magistrates Court, in relation to five counts of theft. He was also ordered to pay compensation totalling £310.

In a case brought by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s Trading Standards Service, Mr Douglas of Carrowdore, was described as a swindler and a cheat who preyed on innocent householders.

During 2010 Consumerline, the consumer advice service run by the Trading Standards Service, received a number of complaints from unhappy customers who had paid money to Gordon Douglas for work which was not done.

In several cases, Mr Douglas asked customers for money to buy parts for the repair, promising to return the following day to carry out the work. Invariably he was never seen again.

Nicholas Lane of the Trading Standards Service said: "This is an example of the worst type of rogue trader, who preys on unsuspecting consumers. He simply took the money from them and disappeared without actually making any attempt to repair the consumers' appliances."

Mr Douglas is believed to have used business names including A1 Appliances, Master Care Dishwasher Repair and Servicing, EE Supplies, Rest Easy, Windmill Appliances, Cameras R Me, Calabar Electrics, Gordon Douglas Appliance Repairs, and Cooker Guy.

The following websites are registered to him: www.dishwasherrepairsni.co.uk, www.bakeryequipmentrepairsni.co.uk, www. cateringequipmentrepairsni.co.uk, www. a1cookersni.co.uk, www. a1appliancesni.co.uk.

Anyone who believes they have been a victim of Mr Douglas should contact Consumerline on 0300 123 6262.

(NE/GK)