Overview

• At Bournemouth Crown Court, Daniel Lee Coker was jailed for 6 years 7 months and Scott Matthew Cochrane received 3 years 7 months, with Penny Jayne Barney given a 12‑month suspended term plus a 7pm–7am curfew for five months and £200 compensation, and Aaron Michael Frigot handed a 12‑week suspended sentence and £1,500 compensation.
• The men cold‑called the victim, performed minimal work, falsely claimed urgent dangers, felled healthy trees and pressured him into cash and cheque payments totaling £36,600.
• An expert instructed by Trading Standards valued legitimate work at £3,500, finding the charges were more than ten times higher than warranted.
• A financial investigation showed the proceeds were laundered through third‑party accounts, including a £25,000 cheque banked by Frigot and transfers to Coker and to Cochrane via Barney.
• Coker and Cochrane were identified as the principal offenders and were picked out by the victim at an identity parade, as authorities issued fresh warnings to avoid doorstep traders and to use vetted services.