Rogue Trader who targeted vulnerable elderly people sentenced

A rogue trader who posed as a builder and stole around £10,000 from vulnerable elderly victims in Gloucester has been sentenced for four counts of fraud and two counts of theft.

Dean Croucher, aged 35 and of Beaufort Road in Gloucester, had previously pleaded guilty to all charges at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday 14 June.

He admitted defrauding two elderly people between February 2021 and December 2023; charging extortionate fees upfront for gardening work that was never carried out.

One of Croucher’s victims, an elderly man with dementia, paid him more than £6,000 for items for his garden that never materialised. Croucher also stole three iPhones from him.

He charged his second victim, an elderly woman who had been recently widowed, £2,240 to clear her garden. This was almost three times the amount he had originally quoted and included payment for skips that had never been ordered or used.

Croucher was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday 23 July and was ordered to pay a total of £1,800 compensation to his victims and complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also given two restraining orders and two community orders.

Sergeant Tom Francis from the Gloucester Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Historically, these offences can be difficult to detect owing to the vulnerabilities of the victims involved and the calculating nature of those responsible for such offences.

“Thanks to the dedication of PC Luke Savigar-Jones, who has invested hundreds of hours into collecting evidence as well as safeguarding one of Croucher’s victims, we were able to bring this case to court.

“I would also like to praise the victims for coming forward and reporting the incidents to us in the first place. Sometimes victims of rogue traders may not be aware that they are being defrauded so I would urge anyone who is concerned about an elderly or vulnerable friend or relative to report it to police”.

For further advice on keeping yourself safe from fraud, visit the Constabulary's website: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa/fraud/

Fraud cases can be reported to Action Fraud online: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime. Anyone who finds themselves in immediate danger should call 999 as per any emergency. 

Victims of fraud looking for help can find more information on Victim Support's website: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/crime-info/types-crime/fraud/