A fraudulent tradesman who swindled 89 victims out of their hard-earned money has been sentenced to jail after spending a substantial amount on gambling and adult websites. Lewis Blake, a window shutter installer from Whitstable, Kent, managed to deceive his customers by taking deposits totaling nearly $80,000 but failed to complete the work he was hired for.
It was revealed that Blake had squandered over $125,000 on gambling and more than $17,000 on adult websites instead of fulfilling his obligations to his clients. His criminal activities took place between August 2020 and May 2021 and were brought to light by a group of victims who had fallen prey to his deceitful practices.
Despite being described as “polite and well-presented” by his victims, Blake’s actions left many individuals out of pocket and without the services they had paid for in advance. He offered various excuses for his failure to deliver on his promises, including blaming the pandemic and issues with product shipments from overseas.
During his court hearing at Canterbury Crown Court, it was disclosed that Blake had received deposits amounting to $79,856 from 89 different victims who trusted him to install window shutters in their homes. However, investigations revealed that he had only ordered 14 shutters between 2019 and 2022, indicating that he had used the money for his personal vices instead.
Following his admission of guilt, Blake was sentenced to 18 months in prison and prohibited from being a company director for seven years. Detective Constable Beth Brimmicombe-Wood from Kent Police emphasized the severity of Blake’s actions, stating that his betrayal of trust had left many innocent individuals financially harmed.
She condemned his behavior, stating that criminals like Blake tarnish the reputation of honest tradespeople who work diligently to serve their customers. Despite Blake’s claims that he had gambled with his clients’ money in a misguided attempt to complete their orders, his actions were deemed unacceptable and deserving of punishment.
In conclusion, Blake’s fraudulent activities serve as a stark reminder of the importance of conducting thorough research and due diligence before engaging with service providers. Customers must remain vigilant and cautious to avoid falling victim to unscrupulous individuals like Lewis Blake.
