A ROGUE trader from the traveller community has been jailed for eight months – and forced to pay nearly £5,000 in court costs – after repeatedly cold calling elderly and vulnerable people.

Frank Webb, of no fixed abode, was given a court order in 2007 compelling him to provide contact details and right of cancellation to people who contracted him to carry out work at their homes.

The 57-year-old served part of a four-month sentence for contempt of court last year, but yesterday was before Swindon Crown Court for a civil hearing in respect of offences last summer, after his prison release.

Webb admitted the claim, brought by Swindon Borough Council.

Richard Shepherd, prosecuting, told the court: “There are four groupings of victims involved here. Having looked at the evidence Mr Webb accepts he is in breach of the court order.

“There is now an acceptance of the cold calling breach and failure to notify of cancellation rights.

“In May last year Mr Webb faced similar matters for contempt of court and received four months in prison.

“At that time Mr Webb said he was sorry and would not undertake similar actions in the future. When he decided to trade in this way he did so with full knowledge of what had happened previously.”

Andrew Eddy, defending Webb in the absence of Legal Aid, said: “Mr Webb is genuinely sorry for putting them through what they have been through in relation to what he did at their properties.

“The transition of new legislation brought in to protect consumer rights has been difficult for him.”

Judge Peter Blair QC, sentencing, said: “You have again failed to obey a court order made back in April 2007, which you knew full well required you to provide documentation for your services, and giving people a period of time to withdraw from your contract with them.

“Instead, in April last year you were sent to prison for four months for breaching that order. Two weeks later you were back in front of the court to say sorry.

“You were visiting homes of people who were elderly and perhaps less able to speak up for themselves and hold their own with your weasel words. You need to spend longer in prison withour preying on the elderly and vulnerable.”

Webb was jailed for eight months for each of the four offences, the terms to run concurrently, and told to pay £4,852 in court costs.