Rogue trader victim receives early Christmas present following scam
A Dorset man targeted by rogue gardeners has received Christmas gift after a local arborist firm stepped in to restore his garden for free
An elderly man from Dorchester who lost his life savings to rogue gardeners has received an unexpected act of kindness this week - a free garden restoration from a local arborist firm moved by his story.
In September, the final two members of a four-person rogue trading gang were sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court to three years and seven months and six years and seven months in prison respectively.
The court heard how the group targeted the vulnerable pensioner in November 2022, offering to cut his hedge before persuading him to pay for further “urgent” tree work.
The gang charged him £36,600 for work later valued by Dorset Council’s trading standards service at just £3,500, leaving him with no savings and a garden full of cut trunks and debris.
After reading about the case, Knighton Countryside Management reached out to Dorset Council to offer help.
The firm’s team spent days clearing the man’s garden and restoring his trees entirely free of charge.
“When I read about what had happened, it really hit home,” said Mark Gibbens, managing director of Knighton Countryside Management. “Sadly, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen rogue traders exploit vulnerable people. My team wanted to put things right before Christmas, to help restore his garden and his peace of mind.”
Gibbens urged residents to use Arboricultural Association-approved contractors when hiring tree specialists to avoid similar scams: “It’s the best way to make sure you’re dealing with genuine, trained professionals who care about their clients.”
Rachael Holden, Dorset Council’s trading standards service manager, praised both the victim’s bravery and the company’s generosity:
She said: “We’re very grateful for Knighton Countryside’s offer to help. The victim’s garden had been left in a terrible state, a constant reminder of what happened.
“His courage in giving evidence were vital in bringing the perpetrators to justice.”
In this joyful story, justice and kindness have helped turn a painful ordeal into an unexpectedly hopeful Christmas.