A former boxing champion has been jailed over a roofing scam which saw him con customers, including a newly widowed elderly woman, out of more than £30,000.
Mitchell Buckland (28) and Terry Price (45) were ex-professionals who overcharged clients.
A victim of old age claimed her husband would be alive if they hadn’t done their acts which led to depression and anxiety.
Buckland was awarded the 2015 Celtic super-lightweight title, but he hasn’t fought professionally in three years and is now a roofing contractor.
Newport Crown Court heard Buckland & Price were’massively dishonest.’ The victims included an elderly couple, Mr. Hughes and Mrs. Hughes. Their bill quickly spiralled out of control.
Mitchell Buckland (28) (left), former champion boxer, was sentenced to prison. Terry Price (45) was also indicted for his role in a fraudulent roofing scheme that conned thousands of customers out of hundreds of thousands.
Lee Reynolds, Prosecutor of the case said that even though they worried about the cost of the charges being filed against them, they believed they had to do the work regardless.
Mr Reynolds said that even after Mr Hughes died it didn’t stop the pair from ‘pressuring’ his newly widowed wife for more money and the couple lost more than £17,000.
Mrs Hughes stated in a victim impact statement that her husband would have been alive today, if not for these defendants.
Three offences related to dishonesty with customers were admitted by Buckland and Price of Shirenewton in Cardiff
Newport Crown Court heard two other victims were charged £7,200 and £8,500 for unnecessary repairs to their roofs but the third victim only agreed to pay £6,400.
Cora Sorensen, the defending father of two Buckland stated that he was a fighter boxer. He had hoped to switch his career but his life has been shaped by these conditions.
Pictured: Mitchell Buckland, winner of the 2015 Celtic super-lightweight title, hasn’t fought professionally in three years and took up roofing work and joined Price.
Joshua Scouller (mitigating for Price) said Price accepted that he was responsible for the client’s upset.
Judge Huwrees explained to them that the two had chosen ‘vulnerable victims’ who “felt they had only one choice but have their roofs replaced”.
He claimed that customers were in distress because of his actions. Your callous acts in the days following have contributed to Mrs Hughes’ distress.
Buckland was jailed for 22 months and Price for three years after pleading guilty to guilty to three offences relating to being dishonest with their customers.