A ROGUE Suffolk trader who admitted taking thousands of pounds from customers for materials that were not supplied, work that was not completed or which was sub-standard has been jailed.

Grant Phillips took over £30,000 from 12 customers between April 2021 and October 2023 while operating under three different business names. A few customers managed to receive partial refunds but the total loss to the victims still stands at over £22,000.

Phillips traded as Superdry Plumbing & Drainage, Rhino Plumb and Plumb Fix, operating around East Anglia before being brought to justice in a prosecution by Suffolk Trading Standards.

He was sentenced to 26 months in prison at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday 20 August 2025.

He had previously admitted at Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday 3 June 2024, to fraudulent trading contrary to Section 9 of the Fraud Act 2006 - trading fraudulently by failing to provide materials for work or not completing projects.  

Phillips, 45, previously of Bath Road, Felixstowe but now of Heron Road, Ipswich, Brantham, was prosecuted by Suffolk Trading Standards after customers complained to the Citizens Advice Helpline and Action Fraud. Victims said payments were made to Phillips for home improvement projects that were not completed or were substandard, requiring expensive remedial work.

He also took money for materials which were not provided, were not as ordered or were not suitable. 

The losses ranged from around £200 to more than £4,400.

Some victims were elderly and had commissioned home improvement projects to improve accessibility to bathroom facilities in their homes.

Some were not able to afford to complete the project or have the work re-done for a lengthy period and one elderly victim found it difficult to trust another trader in her property.

Councillor Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member responsible for Public Health and Public Protection, said: "I congratulate Suffolk Trading Standards on bringing this man to justice. People who commission building work to be done need to be able to do so with peace of mind.

"When that trust is breached it can have a devastating impact on the victims, so I am very pleased to see that the actions of this particular trader have been duly punished."

Graham Crisp, Suffolk County Council's Head of Suffolk Trading Standards, said: "Phillips victims, some of them vulnerable, suffered financial loss and great personal worry and stress because of his actions and I am pleased that the sentence reflects that.

"He badly let these people down and it took great courage on their part to come forward and report him. The public can rest assured that we will always take action whenever we can in cases like this." 

Mr Crisp advised people to use the Suffolk Trusted Trader scheme when having work done. It is a business partnership scheme where participants have completed a full vetting process and agree to trade fairly under a Code of Practice.

This covers transparent quoting and conducting work, only charging a fair and reasonable price, and dealing with complaints promptly.

For details go to trustedtrader.team/Suffolk/.