A ROGUE trader who conned residents out of thousands of pounds and falsely claimed to be donating money to a children’s hospice has been jailed.

Christopher Morris charged elderly residents thousands of pounds for painting work that he falsely claimed would cut their energy bills and would cure damp.

A two-year-old investigation into his company Eco Shield Energy Solutions Ltd by Warrington Borough Council and Wirral Borough Council’s trading standards departments has seen the 39-year-old sentenced to a year behind bars.

Set up in 2014, the Neston-based company conned six victims in Warrington and more across the north west out of thousands of pounds.

Eco Shield Energy Solutions, of which Morris was the owner, director and sole shareholder, marketed itself using paint products it did not have that could save energy, were self-cleaning, would last for 10 years and would cure damp.

The company carried out substandard painting work, refused to return deposits to customers and failed to cancel contracts when requested – it also falsely claimed to be donating money to Claire House Children’s Hospice.

One of Morris’ six victims from Warrington, an 80-year-old woman from Great Sankey, was charged £7,280 for work that used paints costing £750 having originally been quoted £14,000.

The woman said that she was ‘appalled at the unprofessional, sloppy and slap-dash’ work.

She added: “This experience at my age has been very stressful, making me very wary of engaging contractors to undertake any work on my property.”

Morris, of West Kirby, admitted 11 offences against trading regulations and a further 24 charges against Eco Shield Energy Solutions.

On Wednesday, December 14, Judge Stephen Everett sentenced him to two years in jail at Liverpool Crown Court.

He will serve half of his sentence before being released on license, and will also be disqualified from being a company director for a period of five years.

Judge Everett described using Claire House Children’s Hospital as ‘despicable’.

He added: “This was a dishonest operation from beginning to end – it was a con trick and you didn’t give two hoots about the victims.

“You and your employees targeted those who you believed were vulnerable – I have no doubt you knew what was going on.

“People buying your product believed you were donating to the charity – you may well hang your head.

“This was as disgusting an operation as I have seen in a long, long time.”