A FORMER police officer and a father-of-five have both been spared jail for doing substandard building work on a pensioner’s home.

The Abingdon pair were handed community orders yesterday at Oxford Crown Court after they admitted breaching consumer protection regulations.

Retired Oxfordshire police constable Christopher Meacey, of Stonehill Walk, started working on the mobile home of Rogneda Ermolaev in Radley Park near Abingdon in April 2013.

According to Oxford Trading Standards, who brought the prosecution, the 48-yearold was hired to paint her house, move a wall and install a new toilet, bath and bathroom cabinet.

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Prosecutor Robert Courts said Meacey charged £6,210, which was “significantly higher than the work’s worth”.

But the barrister said as his relationship with his customer deteriorated, Meacey asked 41-year-old Angel Jay, of Cotman Close, to finish the work.

Mr Courts said the homeowner was charged a further £1,400 for more substandard work.

He told Recorder Patrick Vincent that Ms Ermolaev, who is 73 years old, had to pay a further £3,972 to someone else to complete the work properly.

Meacey and Jay both pleaded guilty to breaching the third regulation of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, meaning their work was not completed to a professional standard.

Meacey also admitted breaking the fifth regulation – charging an inflated amount for work.

Defence barrister Sarah Holland, representing Meacey, said her client has now lost his business as a result of the court case.

She said: “There was never any intention in any way to mislead or intentionally complete shoddy work.”

Jeannie Mackie, representing father-of-five Jay, added: “This is a case of bodgers, not fraudsters.

“There is no suggestion of any kind of exploitation of someone who is vulnerable and no dishonesty at all.”

But Recorder Vincent told the two men: “This is not a case of a well-intentioned building job gone wrong.

“What you have pleaded guilty to is knowingly or recklessly engaging in a commercial practice which was unfair because it wasn’t to a sufficient standard.”

He sentenced both men to 12-month community orders and told Meacey to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and Jay to compete an education and training course with a supervision requirement.