Sub-standard work carried out by FrancisA dishonest window fitter who left victims thousands of pounds out of pocket has been sentenced, following a successful prosecution by Cornwall Council.On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at Truro Crown Court, Jonathan Francis, aged 51, of Pengegon way, Camborne, entered guilty pleas for offences under the Fraud Act 2006.Between October 2023 and October 2024, when trading as JF Double Glazing, Francis accepted deposits from 12 customers for UPVC window and door installations.Some of the works were completed to a very poor standard. In other cases, no work was completed at all.Victims reported losses totalling over £19,000 with customers having to pay out significant money for corrective work. Francis also misled customers by including VAT charges on his invoices, despite not being VAT registered.Sentencing, Judge Simon Carr told Francis he was effectively building a Ponzi scheme, taking from one consumer to pay the others. “You were never going stop until you got investigated by Trading Standards,” Judge Carr added.Francis 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 compensation until his victims have been repaid the money they lost.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, as a more reliable way of finding local traders that have committed to trading fairly.”Press release issued on February 20, 2026