A builder is to stand trial accused of scamming over £60,000 from a series of customers by carrying out shoddy work and failing to complete all of the work he promised.
Norman Hughes is alleged to have left customers in Dundee, Blairgowrie, Arbroath and Longforgan out of pocket by carrying out work in a “grossly negligent and unworkmanlike manner”.
Prosecutors say he promised to carry out extensive work to numerous properties and “induced” customers to hand over large sums of cash “in the knowledge that said work had not been completed at all or had been completed in a grossly negligent manner”.
In one instance it is alleged that between October 1 2014 and January 31 2015 he promised a Dundee woman that he would fit a kitchen and carry out work including damp repairs, chimney repairs and installing new front and back doors.
He is said to have obtained £24,000 from the woman but “failed to complete all of the work he pretended he would”.
Further charges allege he defrauded a Blairgowrie family out of £12,000, a guest house owner out of £4,370, an Arbroath couple out of £5,000, a Longforgan family out of £8,800 and a Dundee man out of £7,000.
Hughes, 35, of Abbey Road, Scone, pleaded not guilty on indictment to six charges of fraud during a pre-trial hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael set a further pre-trial hearing in November.
