Five in court accused of King's Lynn rogue trader fraud

The group, from Essex and Bedfordshire, were arrested on October 2 after a Range Rover was pursued by police at high speed through King’s Lynn and into Cambridgeshire when the vehicle failed to stop. 

All five face charges of conspiracy to defraud following an incident the previous day when an elderly victim reported being defrauded by a group of rogue traders.

Josephine Jones, prosecuting, said other complainants in the King’s Lynn area, some aged in their eighties, had also subsequently reported being approached by workmen.

Some had been told their homes needed work and were told they would have to pay tens of thousands of pounds to fix issues. 

The five men appeared in custody at Norwich Magistrates' Court (Image: Newsquest)

Appearing at Norwich Magistrates' Court none entered pleas to the charges and all were committed to Norwich Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on November 1.  

Kenny Hughes Jnr, 33, of Cranfield Park Avenue, Wickford, also faces charges of dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.

He is also accused of previously escaping from lawful custody at Basildon in Essex on July 17. Magistrates formally remanded him into custody after being told he was being recalled to prison with no application for bail. 

Craig Robertson,36, from Luton, accused of conspiracy to defraud, was granted bail with conditions including an electronically monitored curfew from 7pm to 7am and a requirement to sign in every day at Luton police station 

Kenny Hughes, 52, from Luton, Tommy Brown, 23, from Romford, and Kevin Price, 18, from Leighton Buzzard, were bailed with conditions including not to contact the co-defendants or the complainants.  

All five men were banned from entering Norfolk or Cambridgeshire.