Building Scam Boss Jailed for 7 Years in £800k Home Improvement Fraud
Brian Tutton, 62, led a ruthless £800,000 scam ripping off homeowners across the Home Counties. He has been handed a hefty seven-year prison sentence. His co-conspirators also got slammed with jail time over the elaborate con that promised building work but delivered nothing.
Crunch Time for Crooks Behind Fake Home Improvements Firm
- Brian Tutton – 7 years in prison plus banned from running a company for 10 years
- Scott Baker, 50 – 4 years in prison and banned as director for 5 years
- David Gogo, 30 – 14 months suspended sentence and 160 hours unpaid work
- Louise Shiankwang, 50 – pleaded guilty to fraud, sentencing due on 14 February
The gang ran shop under the guise of Contemporary Home Improvements, which turned out to be a sham from the start. Using a virtual office in London’s Shelton Street, they fooled over 60 victims into handing over deposits for building work that was never intended to start.
How the Scam Worked: Fake Show Home and Bogus Experts
Top of the con was Tutton himself. He struck a deal to use Shiankwang’s kitchen extension as a fake show home. Potential customers were given tours, convinced the firm was legit. Meanwhile, Tutton’s team faked credentials and smiles.
Scott Baker hustled in person, collecting deposits and promising work. David Gogo pretended to be an architect, even using a fake RIBA business card to fool clients. No actual builders showed up; no bricks were laid.
“People are often embarrassed when they find they have been duped. These defendants worked hard to seem reputable. It was a well-crafted fantasy,” said Detective Inspector Matt Wigg, who led the investigation.
Justice Served After Years of Deceit
The Met Police and Camden Trading Standards launched the probe in 2018 after more than 60 complaints flooded in. The trial finally went ahead in late 2021 following Covid delays.
Tutton’s company was struck off the Federation of Master Builders register amid the complaints. By the time Contemporary Home Improvements went into administration in September 2017, victims were still paying for work that would never see the light of day.
National Trading Standards director Wendy Martin hammered the fraudsters: “These deceitful criminals hid behind a glossy facade to con trusting homeowners out of large sums. Today’s sentences show crooks won’t escape justice.”
For the victims, the convictions offer a sliver of closure—and a warning to stay sharp against too-good-to-be-true home improvement offers.
