Full Breakdown
Patrick Damien Hartley sentenced for extensive builder fraud
8/29/2026, 1:16:10 AM
The fraud and sentencing
At Preston Crown Court on 28 August 2026, Patrick Damien Hartley, 51, of Weir in Bacup, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for multiple offences under the Fraud Act 2006 and consumer-protection regulations. The court heard that Hartley, who described himself as a “knight in shining armour,” took on construction work for 13 households across the North West over a 30-month period beginning in 2020, charging tens of thousands of pounds while leaving jobs unfinished or delivering substandard work.
Background of the scheme
Hartley’s fraudulent activity spanned towns and boroughs including Oldham, Tameside, Sale, Bury, Bolton, Stockport, Bacup, Rawtenstall and other parts of Lancashire and Greater Manchester. Victims reported that Hartley accepted large deposits, issued written promises of refunds that never materialised, and continued to accept new contracts despite clear evidence that earlier jobs would not be completed. Trading Standards officers in Greater Manchester and Lancashire, together with Greater Manchester Police, investigated the pattern of deception and supported the Crown Court prosecution.
Financial impact and victim losses
- Total payments received for unfinished work: £600,000 – £700,000.
- Additional remedial costs incurred by homeowners: £300,000 – £400,000.
- One Rawtenstall homeowner gave Hartley £59,406 for a double-storey extension; only a fraction of the work was done, and after receiving a partial repayment of £3,250, Hartley was declared bankrupt. She later borrowed nearly £80,000 to finish the project, which remains uninhabitable.
- A Bacup couple paid £74,000 for an extension and driveway; only about 13 % of the planned work was completed, leaving the elderly mother of the family to spend her final days in a cold, unheated front room. The couple took out an additional £30,000 loan to complete the build themselves.
Overall, the fraud is estimated to have caused roughly £1 million in combined financial loss and remedial expense for the affected families.
Official statements & responses
Lancashire County Council’s Trading Standards highlighted the “devastating” effect of Hartley’s conduct, noting that the prosecution was a joint effort with Trading Standards colleagues in Greater Manchester and supported by Greater Manchester Police. Councillor Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities, said the sentencing demonstrated the council’s commitment to protecting vulnerable consumers from predatory builders.
The court also ordered a Proceeds of Crime hearing to determine how the illicit gains will be recovered and distributed to victims.
Verbatim quote
- “It is hardly surprising that the emotional drain on these families is as crippling as the financial one. It must have been obvious to you the real harm that has been caused.” — Judge Jeffries KC
What’s next
A Proceeds of Crime hearing will be scheduled in due course to assess the recovery of the estimated £700,000 obtained by Hartley and to allocate funds toward reparations for the affected families.
