A dishonest builder has been accused of stealing almost £150,000 from his clients by taking deposits for work he never completed. Paul Atkinson, 45, from Porthcawl, is alleged to have left a client contemplating suicide and further financial difficulties while he enjoyed luxury exhibitions and golf outings.
Atkinson allegedly pocketed money sent to him by clients he hired to build extensions and greenhouses on his property. However, despite transferring the money, they avoided and ignored requests for refunds and skillfully ignored those who posted negative comments.
During the sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, it was revealed that Atkinson operated under the company name Protecta Home Improvements Protecta Design and Build Ltd and later MET Construction Ltd. His website falsely claimed the company had offices in Bridgend, Cardiff, Swansea and Bristol.
Images on websites that purport to show Atkinson's work are also fabricated.
Promoter David Elias KC said Atkinson initially seemed “open, professional and knowledgeable about what he was going to do” and communication was “quick.” However, after receiving deposits, Atkinson rarely responded to messages and made excuses for the delays, he said. Wales Online.
The work done was of poor quality and, in many cases, had to be removed and corrected at great expense.
The unfinished business of Porthcawl builder Paul Atkinson, who stole £147,000 from his clients. (Image: Bridgend County Council)
When pressed for repayment, the fraudster made a series of apologies and offered to recoup the loans – a promise he never kept. Despite Protecta Design and Build Ltd going into liquidation in 2022, Atkinson shamelessly continued to work on the oil deposits without informing his clients of the defunct company’s status.
In response to negative reviews online, he blatantly demanded that it be removed, fearing that he would not receive any refund.
Elias revealed that Atkinson had embezzled a staggering £147,500 from his clients between September 1, 2019 and July 30, 2022, squandering the illicit proceeds on luxury outdoor exhibitions and golf courses. He transferred business money into his and his wife’s personal accounts.
Victim impact statements released to the court detail the profound emotional and psychological impact caused by Atkinson’s deception. A family already struggling with their children’s health problems are working overtime, cancelling holidays and taking away valuable time to care for them because of the financial problems she has caused.
Another family mourns the loss of an inheritance spent on a ghostly space, with two partners admitting: “It has left us financially and emotionally drained. “I felt betrayed and stupid for falling into the carpenter’s traps and my mental health has suffered.”
The unfinished business of Porthcawl builder Paul Atkinson, who stole £147,000 from his clients. (Image: Bridgend County Council)
Many customers have expressed dissatisfaction, citing instances where ditches were dug in their gardens, just to collect water, effectively cutting them off from the rest of their outdoor space. Some have had to remortgage their homes to put up deposits with Atkinson, but have found no evidence of this.
He described his behaviour as “arrogant and aggressive” after the payment was made.
The victim’s account was sometimes sent a notice to remove posts on social media, as a notice that failure to comply would not result in a refund. Another victim shared the emotional impact of the experience, saying: “I went through a lot of stress and it was hard on my relationship with my partner. My private life.”
A woman, unaware of her traumatic experience, was hired or assigned to build an extension to meet her child's complex medical needs. However, when she failed to contact Atkinson and demand a refund, he showed up at her home, visibly angry.
He left the unfinished work in your garden, forcing you to carry the elephant on the Rhodes chain just to drive to the estate money. “What did he tell me more than he knew or how much we depended on the garden,” he expressed his deep concern.
Atkinson, of Woodland Avenue, pleaded guilty to charges of knowingly or recklessly engaging in a business practice as a merchant, 24 counts of dishonestly making false statements for personal gain or causing loss to third parties, and one count of conducting a business with intent to defraud insurers or for other fraudulent purposes.
In his defence, Thomas Crowther KC argued that Atkinson was dealing with cash flow problems and rising costs that were hurting his profits. It is believed that Atkinson intended to compensate people but was “suppressed by commercial pressures”.
The court was told Atkinson helps care for Baldin and his seriously ill son, and that his company employs four people with young families.
During sentencing, Judge Carl Harrison commented: “You said you didn’t care about your clients and how you had an impact on them… You repeatedly threw money at them and gave nothing in return.”
Atkinson received a total sentence of 43 months in prison. He will complete his prison sentence before being released to serve the remainder of his license.
