Cowboy builder is first in the county to be given an Asbo

Paul David Henstone, of Tredington Park, Hatton Park, will be jailed for up to two years if he breaches the order in the future.

Henstone, who was recently jailed for fraud, carried out shoddy work at homes across the region and had undertaken to mend his ways.

But he failed to do this and Warwickshire Trading Standards brought a civil prosecution against him.

Presiding judge Gregory issued Mr Henstone with the Asbo at Coventry County Court on August 28, also ordering him to pay £5,000 costs.

In 2007 Mr Henstone was prosecuted by Solihull Trading Standards over shoddy building work at a customer’s home, and gave Warwickshire Trading Standards a formal undertaking to improve his practices.

Following further complaints, Warwickshire Trading Standards sought a court order against Mr Henstone in 2009, but complaints did not end.

In 2011 Mr Henstone was prosecuted by the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills for three fraud offences and being involved in the management of a company whist being an undischarged bankrupt. He was sentenced to 16 months in jail, serving four before he was released on licence.

The terms of his ASBO seek to encourage Mr Henstone to work to support himself and his family, but prevent him from engaging in the types of work that have caused problems for consumers in the past.

He can, for example, get a job in the building industry as an employee of a bona-fide company; but he cannot be involved in negotiating contracts, agreeing prices or collecting payments from customers.

Neither is he allowed to use any name other than the one on his birth certificate for business, take consumers to any bank or financial institution to withdraw money or cause, alarm, harassment or distress to any person in the course of his work.

He remains bound by the terms of the 2009 court order, which forbids him from shoddy work and failing to carry out work within a reasonable time, supply goods or carry out work as described in the quotation or make additional charges, failing to complete work, remove waste from customers’ properties, pay suppliers, hand over documentation, damage customers’ properties or construct works that are likely to collapse once they are finished.

Warwickshire County Councillor Richard Hobbs, who is responsible for community protection, said:

“I am delighted that we have been able to secure an ASBO against this trader. Warwickshire Trading Standards will use all the powers they have available to them to take action against those traders who provide poor or in many cases non-existent work.”