Mum tried to take own life after rogue trader left home with no lights or water

A mum has told how she attempted to take her own life after the actions of a rogue trader made her suicidal. Lesley Barlow paid £16,683.83 for a new kitchen and bathroom at her home.

But she was left with bare wires, no lights, and no running water by fraudulent businessman, Richard Stubbs. Lesley, 52, has since been left £40,000 out of pocket and had to remortgage her house in order to pay someone to fix the issues.

Stubbs appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court this week where he was jailed for five-and-a-half years after he was convicted of three charges of fraudulent trading, seven charges of fraud, and two charges of intending to pervert the course of public justice. His businesses - Leek-based I Design Kitchens and Bathrooms and Peak Kitchens and Bathrooms - were convicted of a total of seven counts of fraud, StokeonTrentLive reports.

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Lesley, who is a single parent, told the court: "I was left with an empty shell and hanging live wires in the kitchen. I am a single parent. I am the sole provider. I was financially crippled by his actions. I feel stupid for allowing him to manipulate me.

"It took its toll on my health and made me mentally and physically spent as a person. I had no means of income. I was destroyed as a person. I reached breaking point and made a decision to end my life. Thankfully I was not successful. I had counselling. I had to remortgage my house. I was shattered into a million pieces. His actions have changed me as a person."

Speaking on the steps of the court, Lesley said: "He walked off the job and he took the money. They left me with bare wires, no lights, no water. That is when I started to bring my own legal case.

"I wanted him to have a longer sentence for what he has done. It has not just impacted me. It has impacted my son also.

"It is all about him. There is no remorse. I have never had an apology. I have suffered so much. I am a single parent. It took me years to find that money. I had to remortgage to pay other people to do the jobs. So I am actually more than £40,000 out of pocket."

Stubbs, of High View Road, Endon, had served with Staffordshire Police for nine years. As well as his jail sentence, the 52-year-old was banned from being a company director for the next 10 years.