Three reprehensible conmen who swindled an elderly Tadworth woman out of hundreds of thousands of pounds for roofing work have been jailed for a total of more than 14 years.

Henry John Chambers, 37, of Bradshaw Close, Wimbledon, David Stacey, 46, of Lathams Way, Waddon, and John Ridgley, 43, of Revere Way, Ewell, had all admitted the scam at Guildford Crown Court on February 7.

The trio were sentenced at the same court yesterday (Monday, February 20). Chambers received seven years and three months in prison, Ridgley was jailed for three years and three months, while Stacey was sentenced to four years and six months behind bars.

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All three men repeatedly targeted the same elderly victim by turning up at her house and convincing her she needed work done to her roof. In total, they swindled her out of almost £300,000.

It is possible there were other, as-yet-unknown victims, a Surrey Police spokeswoman said.

The three men were also given ten-year Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) – set to expire on February 20, 2027 – preventing them from:

Cold calling any address and offering the owner or occupant building work;

Conducting any building or property maintenance at any address without any written contract between yourself and the owner/occupant;

Undertaking any building work or property maintenance at any property without public liability insurance;

Being in the company of any other person, at any address that is not your own, who is doing the above.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Michael Queally said the CBOs would prevent the three men from targeting other vulnerable, elderly victims when they were released from prison, as they could be arrested and possibly jailed for breaching conditions of the order.

He said: “What these men did was utterly reprehensible and the sentences they have been given today reflect the severity of their offending.

“The sentences they received in court today sends out a clear message that these offences cannot and will not be tolerated.

“I would like to commend the tenacity and bravery of the victim for giving evidence in this case and I would urge that anyone else who believes they may have been the victim of a similar offence to come forward straightaway – rest assured that we will always carry out a full and thorough investigation into all allegations.”