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2 months ago
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A former police officer who ran a rogue kitchen and bathroom design firm who ripped off customers for sums up to £100,000 to fund his lavish lifestyle, has been jailed for more than five years.
Richard Stubbs, 52, who was a police officer for nine years ran a series of kitchen and bathroom design firms from Leek in Staffordshire.
He solicited cash deposits up front from customers, many of whom complained that the work they paid for was never completed. Stubbs used his former police career to assure potential customers that his company was legitimate.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard customers paid more than £134,000 for kitchens and bathroom projects which were never completed.
Among those to have been ripped off by the businessman were cancer sufferers.
Richard Stubbs, pictured, is a former police officer. He was last week handed a five and a half-year tail term after he was found guilty of defrauding a string of customers for more than £130,000
Joanna Johnson, pictured outside Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court said her marriage collapsed following the trauma of dealing with Richard Stubbs who fraudulently sold her a kitchen and bathroom
One woman said the stress caused by dealing with Stubbs and his company led to the end of her marriage.
Another explained how the experience left her feeling suicidal after paying almost £17,000 for a new kitchen and bathroom that left her without water or lights.
Alex and Joanna Johnson spent more than £15,000 on planned improvements to their home in Stoke-on-Trent, handing over the cash to Design Kitchens and Bathrooms, based in Leek, Staffordshire.
Stubbs, 52, a former police officer, was convicted of three charges of fraudulent trading, seven charges of fraud, and two charges of intending to pervert the course of justice.
The businessman, who has been banned from being a company director for the next ten years, was convicted following a week-long trial in May, where he was remanded in custody pending sentencing earlier this week.
Stubbs was jailed for five and a half years while his co-accused, builder Carl Egerton, 54, received a 16month jail term suspended for 12 months, with a 100-hour community work requirement and a further £2,500 in costs.
In a court statement, Joanna, aged 38, said: 'I still can't comprehend how he could do what he has done. The excuses he gave and the things he said made things even worse. It has knocked my faith in humanity. Stubbs really got into my head. At one point I was not sure I could go through with it.
'I have become more anxious. Our marriage has now broken down. We are now living apart. What happened caused tensions between us. Stubbs used the fact he was previously a police officer to gain our trust.'
Speaking on the steps of the court, Joanna added: 'I lost my marriage as a result of this and I am still living with a kitchen and bathroom that are not suitable. The worst thing I ever did was go to I Design. I went to the showroom. He seemed so trustworthy.
'He just kept fobbing us off. I have no money and no bathroom or kitchen. I am glad he has been sentenced and hopefully he will not be able to do it to anyone else. It just breaks my heart what everybody else has been through as well."
As well as a prison sentence, Stubbs, pictured, was banned from serving as a director for the next decade
Alex Johnson had feared the worst after learning I Design Kitchens and Bathrooms had 'ceased trading'.
In a statement, Alex told the court: 'I am angered that I was too willing to accept his explanation. I should not have accepted his excuses. I was fearful we would see nothing for what we paid him.
'Stubbs made me feel like an idiot. I am annoyed I did not see the signs. It negatively affected my mental health and my marriage has broken down. It had a massive negative impact on our relationship.'
Stubbs was brought to justice following a five-year investigation into his business dealings by Staffordshire County Council.
Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council said: 'This has been a lengthy, complex investigation for our trading standards team and we would like to thank all the witnesses who attended court and gave evidence in the case.
'Stubbs knowingly took advantage of some very vulnerable people, leaving them vastly out of pocket and so we are pleased with the outcome and sentence.
'Our officers work hard to protect local communities from rogue traders so anyone thinking about behaving like this should think twice.'
His two trading companies, Idesign and Peak Kitchens & Bathrooms, were also fined a further £57,827.50 and £23,292 respectively.
A Proceeds of Crime hearing is expected to be heard later this year in an effort to retrieve some of the fraudulently acquired cash.
Judge Graeme Smith slammed Stubbs during last week's sentencing hearing.
He said: 'I Design ran into financial difficulties in 2018 and 2019. I accept that was for various reasons, including a social media campaign, although part of that was the result of the failure to complete contracts.
'I am satisfied that the main reason for the failure of the company was the extraction of funds by Stubbs to maintain his lifestyle. It was clear from your evidence, Richard Stubbs, you felt you were working hard so you were entitled to a certain lifestyle. That included regular trips to a property in Spain, other trips, and watching your football club. The profits of your company were insufficient to maintain this lifestyle. You chose to prioritise yourself. You must have been aware of the money coming in and going out of the company and that there was a shortfall.
'I accept you did not target victims on the basis of vulnerability. You were indiscriminating. However, I do find you targeted the doctor to take significant sums from her. She is an intelligent and articulate woman. She was at the time extremely vulnerable.
'You have a tendency to blame everybody but yourself for what was happening.'
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