Victim says she was left “betrayed” after months of excuses and broken promises

A BUILDER who defrauded 18 victims out of more than £82,000 has been jailed for three years and four months.

Lee Brown was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court this week after admitting a series of fraud offences involving customers who paid him for building work that was either never completed or carried out to an unacceptable standard.

The court heard that Brown dishonestly obtained £82,771 over a four-year period by taking upfront payments from customers, often claiming the money was needed to buy materials.

Prosecuting counsel Mr Reynolds said many victims were left waiting for work that never began, while others were forced to pay additional money to have poor-quality work corrected.

The court was told that some of the offending continued while Brown was on both Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court bail for similar matters.

Mr Reynolds said the impact on victims had been severe and submitted that this should increase the sentence. He also highlighted Brown’s previous history, including a caution and a conviction for dishonesty.

The defence referred to ten character references and said there was a stark difference between Brown’s offending and his conduct in everyday life.

The court was told the offending had spiralled out of control during periods of bereavement and family illness. The defence also referred to Brown’s diagnosed PTSD, physical health problems, limited repayments to some victims, and his previous military service.

HHJ Crowther rejected calls for the sentence to be suspended and jailed Brown for 40 months.

Passing sentence, the judge described the harm caused to victims and said Brown had shown no shame in the number and nature of the excuses he used.

She also criticised the “hubris” shown when Brown gave victims false reasons for failing to attend their properties, when he was in fact attending court.

Victim impact statements described anxiety, trauma, family pressure and feelings of betrayal caused by Brown’s offending.

The court applied a 25% reduction for Brown’s guilty pleas, with further reductions reflecting his PTSD diagnosis and military service.

A timetable has now been set under the Proceeds of Crime Act in an attempt to recover money for victims. However, the prosecution said it was not expected that any assets or funds would be available for seizure.

Victim speaks out

ONE of Brown’s victims told The Herald she had been left feeling “betrayed” after months of excuses and broken promises.

The woman, who moved to Cross Hands three years ago, said she initially hired Brown after he had previously carried out work for her, including decking and a new garage roof.

After moving into her new property on June 26, she said she needed secure fencing installed and also wanted a summer house built.

Brown attended the property, assessed the work and agreed a price of £3,800.

She said: “He was going on holiday and came over and put up some chicken wire fencing. He assured me he would be there for the two weeks I was away.

“But when I came home there was no fencing. Then the text messages started. No van, no show. It went on for months.”

She said Brown would sometimes call late at night and that the excuses he gave were similar to those heard by other victims.

“It was always something. The same story he told everyone,” she said.

The victim later pursued a County Court Judgment and was awarded around £5,500. However, she said she has received only £75.

“He only has to pay back £25 a month,” she said. “All I’ve had is £75.”

She also claimed Brown used personal tragedies as excuses, including referring to the death of his father-in-law, despite him still being alive at the time.

She said: “After I gave him the money, I never saw him again.”

The victim said the case had been repeatedly delayed, with sentencing pushed back several times.

She added that she believes the scale of the fraud is wider than the 18 victims included in the case.

She said: “At the time there were 30 charges when he got to court, and now there’s upwards of 40 victims.

“He’s been doing this since 2021.”

THOUSANDS of homes and businesses in Milford Haven can now access Full Fibre broadband following a £2.1m investment by Openreach.

The upgrade means around 7,000 properties in the town are now able to move to faster and more reliable internet connections, with 85% of premises in the area covered by the new network.

Openreach says many residents and businesses may still be using slower connections because the upgrade is not automatic. Customers need to place an order through their chosen broadband provider to switch to Full Fibre.

Martin Williams, Partnership Director for Wales and the South West, said: “Most of Milford Haven is now covered by Full Fibre, but many residents and businesses still haven’t made the switch. It’s not automatic – you need to place an order with your chosen broadband provider.

“The difference in speed and reliability can be significant, especially for busy households or people working from home. We want to make sure everyone knows what’s available and how to get it.

“Openreach is committed to building the best Full Fibre network, and doing it sustainably. Through our Let’s Reach Zero strategy, we’re working to reduce carbon emissions, use fewer resources, cut waste, and protect nature wherever we operate.”

Full Fibre is designed to offer faster downloads, more stable connections and better performance when several devices are being used at the same time.

Openreach says the service can support modern online use including streaming, gaming, video calls, home working, online banking and running a business.

The company’s Full Fibre network now reaches 22 million homes and businesses across the UK. It plans to extend this to 25 million by the end of 2026, with the potential to reach 30 million by 2030 if investment conditions remain supportive.

Residents can check whether their property is able to upgrade by using Openreach’s Full Fibre checker.

STAFF at the Development Bank of Wales have raised more than £88,000 for mental health charity bigmoose during a record-breaking year of fundraising.

The money raised by the bank’s 280-strong team, including colleagues from subsidiary FW Capital, will help fund fast access to therapy and counselling for more than 170 people experiencing mental health challenges across the UK.

The partnership was the Development Bank’s tenth charity partnership and has become its most successful fundraising year to date.

Colleagues took part in a range of fundraising activities during the year, with the final total reflecting what the bank said was the commitment of staff across the organisation.

The Development Bank has now announced Maggie’s as its new charity partner for 2026/27, in memory of Dr Carl Griffiths, a much-loved colleague who died in autumn 2025 following a short battle with cancer.

Maggie’s provides free expert cancer support to people living with cancer, as well as their family and friends, through centres based alongside NHS hospitals across the UK.

Support includes psychological, emotional and practical help, benefits advice, coping strategies and one-to-one counselling.

Fundraising for Maggie’s will run throughout the year, with staff from the Development Bank and FW Capital taking part in activities to raise money and awareness for the charity’s work.

Jeff Smith, CEO and co-founder of bigmoose, said: “176 people will now receive a full course of therapy because of the support from the Development Bank of Wales and FW Capital. That’s the power of partnerships like this – people getting the support they need, when they need it.

“With mental health services stretched to breaking point, bigmoose exists to disrupt how people access support by providing fast, effective therapy before people hit crisis point. Support from the Development Bank of Wales and FW Capital allows us to keep delivering that service to the people who need it most.”

Rachael Davies, Fundraising Manager at Maggie’s, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the Development Bank of Wales Group for choosing Maggie’s as their Charity of the Year for 2026/27. Partnerships like this play a vital role in allowing us to keep our doors open and ensure that no one has to face cancer alone.

“We’re really looking forward to working with colleagues over the coming year and are thankful for their commitment to supporting people affected by cancer.”

Andrea Richardson, Chair of the Development Bank of Wales Charity Oversight Committee, said: “We’re incredibly proud of what our colleagues have achieved in support of bigmoose. Raising more than £88,000 over the past year is a record for us and reflects the generosity, commitment and energy of teams across the organisation.

“As we move into our new partnership with Maggie’s, we’re excited to build on that momentum and continue supporting charities that make a real, tangible difference to people and communities across the UK.”

Representatives from the Development Bank of Wales present a cheque to bigmoose.