Northwich ‘cowboy joiner’ is sent to prison

The owner of a joinery company from Northwich,who took up front payments as deposits for joinery work from customers but then never did the work, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

A total of £19,525 was taken from six complainants for work which included bespoke furniture, a timber framed conservatory, a new staircase and a kitchen refit.

Phillip John David Burton-Fox, (39), who lives in Northwich, was prosecuted by Cheshire West and Chester Council, charged with fraudulent trading contrary to section 993 of the Companies Act 2006.

At Chester Crown Court, Mr Burton-Fox was given an 18 month custodial sentence of which he must serve half.

Typically, after the defendant received a 50% deposit, the complainants would hear little, if anything, from the defendant. Messages and telephone calls from the complainants would go unanswered.

The matter came to the attention of Cheshire West Trading Standards in January 2022 after a complainant sought advice from the Citizen’s Advice Service.

Trading Standards were notified of the complaint and a subsequent search on the Citizen’s advice database found further complainants who had all suffered the same fate, of paying for work that was never done.

Councillor Christine Warner, Cabinet Member for Homes, Planning and Safer Communities said:

“Our Trading Standards Officers work hard to protect residents in Cheshire West and Chester from this type of fraudulent business activity.

“Rogue traders like this face custodial sentences and hefty fines or compensation orders.  Please report anyone you think may be a ‘cowboy’ tradesperson, so they can be swiftly brought to justice.”

When sentencing HHJ Thompson comments that what Fox was ‘completely heartless and selfish’, what he did was ‘cruel, leaving his victims hanging’.  He was satisfied that Fox ‘was a dishonest man and the case against him was overwhelming’.  Fox prolonged the agony of victims by pleading not guilty, maintaining that plea for 10 months.

Report rogue traders on the Citizens Advice Consumer Service consumer helpline: 

0808 223 1133 

...or online at: 

Contact the consumer helpline - Citizens Advice