A DEESIDE roofer has been told to complete 100 hours of unpaid work after abandoning work at a couple's home.

Daniel Jones’ victims paid out £3,000 to have their roof fixed, but North East Wales Magistrates’ Court heard it will cost them a further £3,950 to put the work right.

David and Elizabeth Wilcock, of Green Lane in Shotton, also paid out for their walls to be pointed, although an independent surveyor said that the work was needed.

Jones, who trades as D.J.Roofing of Deiniol's Road in Mancot, made excuses that he could not attend the job, including saying his back was so bad he could not get his socks on.

Yet he was pictured on his Facebook page enjoying himself on a caravan holiday at the time.

Jones, 35, changed his pleas and admitted he committed fraud quoting £1,995 for the pointing and a consumer protection charge over the repointing and roof work.

He previously admitted failing to have the company details on his quotes which he sent by text.

Jones said that he had a "large number of very satisfied customers", but ended up with a bill of more than £5,000.

Magistrates placed him on a 12-month community order with the unpaid work requirement. He was ordered to pay £3,950 compensation and £1,500 costs as well as an £85 surcharge.

Barrister Chris Moss, prosecuting for Flintshire County Council, said the couple engaged the defendant to do remedial work on their chimney.

The defendant advised them the pointing of the property needed doing and a quote of £1,995 was accepted.

Jones was also asked for a quote for the removal and replacement of roof tiles and came up with a figure of £5,800.

He asked for a 20 per cent payment to pay a scaffolder and was paid £1,300 in cash and further money, including £850 to buy slates.

But he worked sporadically and left on June 30 last year and did not attend again.

Mr Moss said an independent survey showed that the repointing work did not need doing at all.

The value of the roof work was £4,000 but the roof had been damaged and it was estimated it would cost £3,950 to put right, he said.

The prosecutor said it was not alleged the work started out as a deception but it progressed to a deception after initial work was carried out.

Jones, who represented himself in court, said that he had never had a complaint before and had plenty of other customers who were happy with his work.

He said he had received many recommendations on his Facebook site.

He admitted: “I think it got a bit too much for me. I should have done something about it but it is too late.”

The court was told Jones suffered from cash flow problems which meant he left the job to go and do smaller projects to raise funds to buy materials to undertake the roofing job.