Rogue trader and accomplice jailed

A rogue trader and his accomplice have been jailed for defrauding vulnerable customers by carrying out substandard work at highly inflated prices, intimidating victims who questioned the quality or cost of the work and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

John Janes, 26, of Wentloog Road, Cardiff, and Stephen Linsey, 42, of Heol Gaer, Cardiff were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court last Friday.

John Janes

Janes operated under several misleading business names to appear affiliated with reputable firms, including Marshalls Drives and Patios Ltd and No.1 Marshalls Drives and Patios Ltd.

Steven Linsey

Janes received a sentence of three years and nine months, while Linsey was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment.

The investigation, led by Shared Regulatory Services, uncovered a fraud targeting eight victims. The offences related to home improvement works, particularly driveways, patios, and gardens.

Janes misled customers using false company names, failed to provide proper cancellation rights, delivered poor-quality work, employed aggressive and intimidating sales tactics, and pressurised vulnerable individuals into paying large sums of money for inferior work.

The total value of the fraud exceeded £60,000. Upon learning of the complaints and the investigation, Janes instructed Linsey to cold-call victims, offering them cash payments, significantly below the amounts taken, to persuade them to withdraw their complaints and retract statements, thereby attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Cardiff Council cabinet member Norma Mackie said: “The majority of victims targeted by Janes were vulnerable, either due to age, mental illness, or disability. He deliberately inflated prices mid-job, pressured victims into paying in cash or via bank transfer to third parties, left work incomplete or poorly executed, and made threats when concerns were raised.

"Most of the work required remedial action, and I was saddened to learn that one victim suffered a stroke, which was believed to be linked to the stress caused by Janes, and was forced to retire due to ill health.”

During the investigation, the son of one victim contacted Janes to inform him of a complaint he planned to make regarding work carried out at his mother’s property. Janes responded with a threat: “Don’t you fu*king dare, or I will come around and smash your house in.”

John Janes was convicted of six offences and sentenced to three years and nine months. He was also ordered to pay £42,960 by 31 January 2026, and costs of £28,917.50.

Failure to pay will result in further imprisonment. Janes will serve half of his sentence in custody and the remainder on licence.

Stephen Linsey was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for one offence of perverting the course of justice. Due to time already served on remand, he was released following the sentencing hearing and will be subject to post-sentence supervision.