A Bath builder has been jailed after admitting defrauding a vulnerable resident out of more than £166,000 in a case that left a property uninhabitable and building work described as “quite appalling”.
How the building was left | Photo courtesy of B&NES Council
Bryan Adams, 36, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to two years and six months in prison following an investigation by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Trading Standards team.
Adams, who was homeless at the time of sentencing, had pleaded guilty on 19th December 2025 to carrying on a business for a fraudulent purpose, contrary to the Fraud Act 2006.
He returned to court on 8th April 2026, when the custodial sentence was imposed.
The court heard that between 10th June 2023 and 3rd December 2024, Adams received more than £166,000 from a client to build a single-storey side extension.
Instead of using the money for labour and materials as agreed, he used a large proportion of it to fund a gambling addiction. His gambling losses during that period exceeded £60,000.
Trading Standards found he repeatedly made false claims in order to obtain more money. These included telling the homeowner that his bank account had been frozen, asking for cash for materials, and saying he had reached his daily cash withdrawal limit when in fact no withdrawals had been made.
In another example, he charged for a replacement boiler after claiming the existing one had failed. Investigators found no new boiler had been installed, and that a Bosch sticker had simply been placed on the existing unit.
A specialist building surveyor later assessed the annex and described the standard of work as “quite appalling”, saying it had been carried out by unskilled and incompetent individuals with little understanding of basic domestic construction. The structure was judged unsound and has since been demolished.
Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for communications and community at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “This case is a stark reminder of the devastating impact rogue traders can have on people in our community.
“This prosecution sends a strong message to others who may consider similar behaviour that they could face serious consequences.
“Credit goes to our Trading Standards team who work tirelessly to protect residents from harm and are meticulous in pursuing traders who breach the law.”
Residents who believe they may have been targeted by a rogue trader are urged to contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
