Camborne Window Fitter Given Suspended Sentence After Fraud Convictions

A Camborne window fitter has been sentenced after leaving customers more than £19,000 out of pocket.

On Wednesday 18th February 2026 at Truro Crown Court, Jonathan Francis, aged 51, of Pengegon Way, Camborne, entered guilty pleas to offences under the Fraud Act 2006.

Between October 2023 and October 2024, Jonathan, trading as JF Double Glazing, accepted deposits from 12 customers for UPVC window and door installations.

Poor Work and Unfinished Jobs

Some of the work was completed to a very poor standard. In other cases, no work was carried out at all.

Victims reported total losses of more than £19,000. Several customers also had to pay significant additional sums to have corrective work carried out.

Jonathan also included VAT charges on his invoices despite not being VAT registered.

Judge: “You Were Never Going to Stop”

Sentencing Jonathan, Judge Simon Carr said he was effectively building a Ponzi scheme, taking money from one consumer to pay others.

“You were never going stop until you got investigated by Trading Standards,” Judge Carr told him.

Jonathan was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and to pay £500 a month in compensation until his victims have been repaid the money they lost.

Trading Standards Investigation

Gary Webster, Trading Standards Group Leader, said:

“Francis misled customers with fabricated excuses, including photographs of old injuries and claims of vehicle breakdowns. When interviewed, he admitted to officers that he took customer deposits and did not place orders for materials, spending customer money on other lifestyle expenses.”

Thalia Marrington, Cabinet Member responsible for Public Protection at Cornwall Council, said:

“This case is yet another example where the actions of one dishonest individual undermines consumer confidence in the sector. I am proud of the work our teams do in providing advice and guidance to businesses on how to trade fairly, but it is important that we take robust action where traders exploit their customers.

“It can be challenging for residents to find trustworthy and competent traders. Where possible we would recommend that residents consider using the Trading Standards Buy With Confidence scheme – https://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/ , as a more reliable way of finding local traders that have committed to trading fairly.”