THE founder of a fundraising campaign to help a man who says his life has been "totally destroyed" after a cowboy builder conned him out of more than £30,000, hopes the community can rally around to help restore his faith in humanity.
Anthony Miles, 61, of Crosskeys, told the Argus last week how Jordan Hare carried out a series of shoddy refurbishments of the home over several months, costing £31,000.
His health has suffered and he said he has been left a "crumbling wreck" after employing Hare in the wake of reading favourable reviews for his Platinum Installs firm, which turned out to be fake.
Making good Hare's dangerous and unstable handiwork will cost upwards of £20,000 - but the ordeal has cost Mr Miles every penny he has. His son Tom, 20, was in hospital while the work was being carried out, and was unable to return home as the place was full of dust, with his father having to rent a hotel room.
An example of Jordan Hare’s shoddy work. Picture: Caerphilly trading standards
Olivia Eatherington, from Newport, saw what had happened to Mr Miles and she decided to step in, setting up a fundraising page to try to raise money to help pay for the cost of fixing the mess Hare left behind.
She hopes too, that it will restore some of Mr Miles' faith in humanity in the process.
"You hear stories of people getting ripped off by cowboy builders, but you don't expect it on your doorstep," said Ms Eatherington.
"Looking at the damage at the house, a lot of it could be fixed with the help of some local tradesmen.
"It's all about the idea of community. If there is someone in the community who needs help, you should be there to support them.
Some of the shoddy work done by Jordan Hare at the home of Anthony Miles. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk
Hare, 31, of Pontprennau, Cardiff, was jailed for three years and nine months last week , having pleaded guilty to fraud by carrying on as a sole trader, after a Caerphilly trading standards investigation. He had previously been warned by Cardiff trading standards about sub-standard work.
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told him: "“You milked your victim for virtually every penny he had.”
Jordan Hare. Picture: Facebook
Ms Eatherington said: "It's all well and good this man [Hare] has gone to prison, but that still doesn't fix the house.
"(Mr Miles) hasn't appealed for any help himself. I read he said he's lost his faith in humanity because of this. Hopefully we as a community can help restore that."
In a victim impact statement read to the court last week by prosecutor Thomas Stanway, Mr Miles said Hare had “devastated my life in so many ways".
"It has made me lose trust in everyone," he said. “I feel foolish for letting him deceive me. He was callous and heartless after he had befriended my son and I. I am totally destroyed. I have no money left. The work is so poor that most of it will have to be replaced."
The fundraising page is available here
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