Tarmac trader must repay £11,000 to victims after council investigation
A TARMAC layer from Penarth who carried out shoddy work and misled customers has been sentenced for fraud and ordered to repay £11,000 in compensation.
Jonathan William Price, 45, of Cowslip Drive, Penarth – who traded under the name Jonathan Lewis Trading – was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (July 21) following a detailed investigation by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards and Waste Enforcement teams.
Flyer campaign led to complaints
The court heard that in July 2022, Price distributed flyers in Neath Port Talbot advertising “free quotations” and “no upfront payments” for driveway tarmacking. But two residents who responded to the flyers later reported substandard work and felt they had been misled.
One customer paid £3,000 in cash after Price quickly completed work on their driveway. But the tarmac soon began to flake and chip, spreading into a public pathway.
Another customer was quoted £8,000 for a more complex job featuring a diamond pattern. The price was said to be a limited-time offer, reduced from £12,000 due to “material and staff costs.” After paying by bank transfer, the work was left unfinished. The pattern was off-centre, paviours misaligned, and gaps left distorted.
No cancellation rights – and upfront payments taken
Despite promises in the flyer, both customers were asked to pay upfront and were not given the required 14-day cancellation notice – a legal requirement in doorstep sales.
Further investigation revealed that “Jonathan Lewis” was in fact John William Price. Neath Port Talbot Council commissioned a quantity surveyor who found the work on both properties was not only of poor quality, but vastly overpriced. The £3,000 job should have cost between £600 and £700, and the £8,000 job just £1,500 to £1,800.
Both driveways later had to be completely removed and redone at the homeowners’ expense – £2,000 and £3,000 respectively.
Illegal waste dumping uncovered
During the investigation, Price was also linked to two incidents of illegal waste dumping in the county. Waste removed from both properties by Price was later found fly-tipped.
In a formal interview with Trading Standards and Waste Enforcement officers, Price refused to answer questions. He later admitted in court that he had removed the waste, but claimed an unnamed employee dumped it illegally. He pleaded guilty to two charges under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Sentence and warning to residents
Price was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years for fraud, and three months suspended for two years for the waste offences. The sentences will run concurrently. He must also complete 250 hours of unpaid work and 25 days of rehabilitation activity. He was ordered to pay £3,000 and £8,000 in compensation to the two victims.
Councillor Cen Phillips, Cabinet Member for Trading Standards and Public Protection, said:
“Residents must remain vigilant to avoid becoming a victim of a rogue trader. It’s pleasing to see our Trading Standards officers and Waste Enforcement team have worked together to bring about this prosecution.”
