Plymouth man involved with running fraudulent business

A man has admitted his part in running a fraudulent solar panel installation company which did not carry out the work promised and failed to pay back money taken from customers.

Neil James Pardon, aged 51 and from Onslow Road, Peverell, changed his pleas ahead of a trial at Plymouth Crown Court after being given a Goodyear indication - the maximum sentence a defendant could expect if they chose to plead guilty - by Judge Robert Linford.

Pardon pleaded guilty on a basis of plea at Plymouth Crown Court to participating in a fraudulent business contrary to section 993.1 of the Companies Act 2006 between August 2, 2022 and April 13, 2023.

The court heard Pardon admit he was knowingly a party to the carrying on of the business of Springfield Energy Saving Installations Ltd for a fraudulent purpose in that he:

* made misleading claims to customers that the business was able to carry out the desired works and/or

* made misleading claims to customers that they needed to pay deposits to secure a limited time price on materials and/or

* failed to carry out agreed works for customers and/or

* made misleading claims to customers that the materials had been ordered and/or

* made misleading claims to customers that the materials had been received and/or

* made misleading claims to customers that work would commence imminently and/or

* continued to take deposits from new customers at a time when previous works had not been commenced and/or

* failed to return to customer deposits paid for agreed works that were never commenced

The prosecutor told the court the plea was accepted on the basis given following a Goodyear indication given by Judge Robert Linford.

Judge Linford had earlier told Pardon's advocate Ali Rafati he would consider a sentence of 16 months but did not state whether it would be suspended or not, having heard that Pardon intended to pay back customers if he remained free.

He adjourned the hearing to allow a pre-sentence report to be carried out by the Probation Service ahead of a sentencing hearing on the afternoon of December 9. He granted Pardon unconditional bail until that date.

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