Ringleaders jailed as first seven sentenced over £1m roofing fraud

Seven members of a 22-person criminal operation, that persuaded homeowners across the North East, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire including Doncaster to pay vastly inflated prices for unnecessary or poor-quality roofing and building work, have been sentenced, with four jailed for a combined 22 years.

The network extracted well over £1 million from victims for unnecessary, poor-quality and grossly overpriced work between May 2021 and August 2024.

The sentences at Teesside Crown Court follow a major investigation by the National Trading Standards Yorkshire and Humber Regional Investigation Team.

The conspiracy had 43 proven victims, from Northumberland through County Durham, Teesside and Yorkshire to Lincolnshire.

Trading Standards officers also uncovered an extensive money laundering network used to move and disguise victims’ money through numerous bank accounts.

Frederick Finney, 48, of HMP Holme House, previously of Bickerton, West Yorkshire, was one of the architects of the conspiracy and used a network of money launderers to receive and move victims’ money.

This network included his wife, Carla Finney, 48, of Hillfield Close, Seamer, North Yorkshire, described by prosecutors as a prolific money launderer, who operated 14 bank accounts through which £381,152 linked to the conspiracy was identified.

The seven sentenced are:

• Frederick Finney, 48, of HMP Holme House– sentenced to 6 years 9 months immediate imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to convert criminal property.
• Carla Finney, 48, of Hillfield Close, Seamer, North Yorkshire – sentenced to 5 years’ immediate imprisonment after being convicted of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to convert criminal property.
• Andrew Carty, 37, of HMP Dovegate (previously of Normanby, Scunthorpe) – sentenced to 5 years and 4 months immediate imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to convert criminal property.
• Michael Olssen, 38, of Richmond Road, Hessle, Humberside – sentenced to 4 years and 11 months immediate imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to convert criminal property.
• Shannon Finney, 22, of Hillfield Close, Seamer, North Yorkshire – sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for 2 years after being convicted of conspiracy to convert criminal property.
• Christopher Morley, 36, of North Lincolnshire – sentenced to 24 months imprisonment suspended for 2 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to convert criminal property.
• Allan Smith, 36, of Gainford, Birtley, Gateshead – sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years after pleading guilty to two fraud offences and converting criminal property.

A further seven defendants in this case are due to be sentenced on Wednesday 16 September, another seven on Thursday 17 September, and the final defendant on 9 November.