Rogue roofer sentenced after targeting and defrauding vulnerable residents

Rogue roofer sentenced after targeting and defrauding vulnerable residents

A rogue trader who targeted vulnerable residents and carried out unnecessary and substandard roofing work has been sentenced to more than five years in prison following a prosecution brought by Wigan Council's Trading Standards team.

At a hearing at Bolton Crown Court on Wednesday 2th September, Tyrone Young, the owner of ACL Roofing and Staydry, was sentenced in his absence to a total of 5 years and 4 months in prison after pleading guilty to fraud and trading regulatory offences, with a warrant outstanding for his arrest.

At the sentencing hearing, it was explained that Young had previously received a suspended sentence at Burnley Crown Court in December 2022, for offences in which he “coerced people and did unnecessary and inadequate work”. 

Despite this, Young breached the terms of his sentence and was sent to prison. Yet within a month of his release, he committed similar offences in Wigan Borough in September 2023. This involved the business owner “lying about his name, advising work was required when it wasn’t, inflating costs, and doing work which was both unnecessary and inadequate”. 

In February 2024, the court heard that Young committed offences against a second victim, where he “cold called the victim, lied to them, made false assertions, and was deliberately aggressive and intimidating”, with the completed work also described as “unnecessary and inadequate”.

With the help of Trading Standards officers, the victims read out powerful personal impact statements to the court, explaining how Young’s coercive and unscrupulous behaviour had devastated them. One victim was living with a terminally ill husband and now can’t afford to fix her household problems after losing much of her life savings. 

Councillor Kevin Anderson, portfolio holder for police, crime and civil contingencies, said: “I welcome this sentencing of an individual who has not only defrauded several victims, but has persistently lied to evade justice. He knew what he was doing was wrong, and his actions have had a lasting financial and emotional impact on his victims. 

“However, I would like to thank the victims for their courage and determination in coming forward and helping to secure this conviction. I also want to recognise the work of our Trading Standards officers and legal team, whose dedication ensured this complex case was successfully brought before the courts. We encourage residents to remain vigilant, particularly when approached unexpectedly by traders offering urgent repairs. If something doesn't feel right, take time to seek advice before agreeing to any work." 

After previously pleading not guilty to the offences, with a trial set for 3rd December 2025, Young later changed his plea to guilty. However, the business owner was sentenced in his absence as he failed to attend the hearing this week. A warrant remains out for his arrest. 

In addition to Young’s prison sentence, ACL Roofing and Staydry were each fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £4,000 in associated costs. ACL was also ordered to pay £9.4k compensation to the victim, with Staydry’s compensation charges totalling £28k. Young was also disqualified from acting as a company director for 15 years. 

Residents who have concerns about doorstep traders or believe they may have been targeted can find out more about Trading Standards and how to report concerns via Trading Standards. The council’s also helps residents find reputable traders via the Good Trader Scheme, with trusted, verified reviews of a wide range of traders. Any information on Young can be passed onto GMP on their contact page here.