A Stoke-on-Trent man who ran a building and maintenance business has admitted fraud after taking money from customers for materials and jobs that were not completed.

Sean Stanway, of Hesketh Avenue, Ball Green, has pleaded guilty to 12 charges including fraud and dishonestly failing to disclose information.

Magistrates were told on Thursday (October 12) that Stanway, 53, knew he was in financial difficulty in early 2020. But he continued to take payments from customers "without reasonable belief he could purchase the materials needed or complete the work" and was made bankrupt later that year.

Anthony O'Dowd, prosecuting on behalf of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, told the hearing at North Staffordshire Justice Centre: "He was a self-employed sole trader operating in the home improvements industry. He made a number of false representations to homeowners telling them work was required when it was not, he had purchased building materials when he had not and failed to disclose to customers they had 14 days to cancel the work.

"The defendant received £56,895 from customers. They had paid him for building materials that had not been purchased and work that was not started or not completed by him."

The case has been sent up to crown court for sentencing at a date to be arranged. Magistrates heard that there were several mitigating factors that would be dealt with at crown court in Stanway's defence.

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