A WOMAN allowed her house to be used as a “fake show home” in an £800,000 scam that left 60 people out of pocket.

Louise Shiankwang, of Grinstead Lane, Lancing pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation and will be sentenced on Monday, February 14 at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London.

It follows a four-year joint partnership investigation by the Met Police’s Fraud Investigation Team and Camden Trading Standards into the dealings of Contemporary Home Improvements.

The investigation followed more than 60 complaints from members of the public passed to the Met by Action Fraud.

Similarly, Camden Trading Standards had received a high volume of complaints mirroring those allegations.

Following a complex financial investigation and the collection of dozens of witness statements, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised charges of conspiracy to defraud from 7 February 2017 to 27 October 2017 against all defendants.

The trial was delayed due to Covid regulations but was finally held from October 4, 2021 to November, 24 2021, where Brian Tutton, 26, of no fixed address, and Scott Baker, 50, of no fixed address, were convicted of conspiracy to defraud.

Tutton was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and was disqualified from being the director of a company for ten years.

Baker was sentenced to four years' imprisonment and was also disqualified from being the director of a company for five years.

David Gogo, 30, of Barringer Square, London, was convicted of one count of fraud by false representation, and sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment - suspended for two years - and to complete 160 hours of unpaid work.

During 2017, the defendants accepted £800,000 in deposits from people across the Home Counties for building work that was never carried out. During the investigation it became clear that there was never an intention to complete any of the agreed works.

The frauds were led by Tutton who set up Contemporary Home Improvements using a virtual office address at Shelton Street in London.

Tutton and his team responded to 62 enquiries advertising their services as a "rated contractor".

Tutton also approached Shiankwang and made a deal to use her kitchen extension to falsely show prospective victims around her house as a Contemporary Home Improvements show home.

Tutton had not been involved in any of the work carried out at Shiankwang’s home, and she was paid for allowing her home to be used.

Detective Inspector Matt Wigg, who was the investigating officer, said: “People are often embarrassed when they find they have been duped by a fraudster, but these defendants had worked hard to present themselves as a reputable, reliable and genuine building company, it would have been difficult for anyone to see beyond the fantasy they had created.”

“Tutton ran a website that detailed the building work completed at Shiankwang’s home giving the impression that the work had been done by him."

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