Alison Lambert, instructed by Essex Trading Standards, concluded the case against Christopher Escrader by obtaining a sentence of 3 years’ custody for four offences of Fraudulent Trading.
Mr Escrader ran a business supplying and constructing garden rooms and extensions under the name Hudson Garden Rooms Limited. As that company fell into financial difficulties Mr Escrader phoenixed the company three further times into Hudson Bespoke Builders Limited, Hudson (Essex) Limited and finally Hudson Living Limited.
Mr Escrader did not tell the victims of his difficulties but continued to take money and in nearly all cases the victims had paid 90% of the quotation price when barely any of the work had been undertaken. Mr Escrader took £279,954 from six victims. Five victims were left with shells and it cost them almost £130k to rectify and complete their builds. One victim paid £21,800 and received nothing.
Passing sentence Mr Recorder Renvoize said “You lost sight of the service you were supposed to provide and instead of stopping and focusing you continued taking money. You could have been candid and honest and given them the choice. You took away that choice. You stopped being businessman and became a conman”.
Mr Escrader was also given a Directors Disqualification for 7 years.
