A landscape gardener has been jailed for five years and eight months after defrauding 18 customers across Dorset, Hampshire, and Wiltshire. James Knight, 34, of Verne Road, Verwood, Dorset, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday after conning clients out of approximately £42,000 for work he largely failed to deliver.
The court heard that Knight, who also uses the name Jimmy, would take substantial deposits for landscaping projects, then either provide a minimal amount of materials or work, or none at all. One victim was left with a bare patch of soil instead of a re-turfed lawn, while another described the area outside her home as a "bomb site".
Knight initially denied the charges but changed his plea to guilty on most counts on the first day of his trial. Following a two-week hearing, the judge concluded that Knight had acted dishonestly from the outset. The prosecution highlighted that Knight would frequently request additional payments, claiming he had initially under-quoted, before stopping work entirely with various excuses, including repeated claims of his grandfather's death and childcare issues.
Judge Mousley, in sentencing Knight, noted his "appalling criminal record," which includes 77 previous fraud convictions between 2012 and 2020. The judge stated that Knight had "no hesitation in extracting as much money from them as possible" from individuals who had placed their trust in him. Beyond the prison sentence, Knight was also issued an eight-year criminal behaviour order, which prohibits him from offering trade services or advertising for work at any UK address.
The prosecution in this case was brought by Dorset Council's Trading Standards team. Councillor Matt Bell, Dorset Council's cabinet member for public health, prevention and communities, commented on the outcome, stating that the case underscores the "real impact rogue traders can have on local people."