A ROGUE trader who carried out botched electrical work in Chester and harassed customers for payment is to be sentenced next month.

Jake Hughes, 33, now of Scaife Street, York, was prosecuted by Cheshire West and Chester Council for a total of seven offences, relating to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. 

Hughes, who pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court, falsely advertised himself as being an industry standard National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) qualified electrician, undertaking major domestic electrical wiring work.

However, he was not an NICEIC qualified electrician and never has been. 

In some instances, the work undertaken by the defendant was so poor, and so far removed from industry standards, it needed to be completely removed and started again from scratch.

Trading Standards Officers from the council asked a qualified electrician to inspect and report on the work done by the defendant, following complaints from residents.

As well as sub-standard electrical work he also attempted building work, which fell so short of compliance with any structural design that it had to be removed.

In another offence, he aggressively demanded payment from a female client by multiple texts and emails, knowing she had been admitted to hospital with a heart problem.

The offences took place in the Chester area between August 2021 and March 2022.

Hughes will now be sentenced at a hearing on February 3, at Chester Crown Court.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “Our Trading Standards Officers work hard to protect residents in Cheshire West and Chester from this type of fraudulent and dangerous business activity.

“Rogue traders like this face lengthy jail terms and hefty fines.  Please report anyone you think may be a cowboy builder or electrician, so they can be swiftly brought to justice before someone gets hurt due to their substandard work.”

Report rogue traders on the Citizens Advice Consumer Service consumer helpline at 0808 223 1133 or online at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue/