A rogue landscape gardener has been convicted of defrauding "devastated" customers out of nearly £25,000 while leaving their gardens looking like "bogs".

Ian Wheeler, 45, from Pontypool, had been taken to court by Torfaen council over a string of offences against customers across the area.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Wheeler's now-defunct company Gwent County Construction Ltd left gardens in "bog"-like conditions and took substantial deposits for work that was never completed.

His string of offences saw multiple victims targeted between 2022 and the company's closure, though the firm had operated legitimately since 2014.

In court, Wheeler admitted to six offences of unfair commercial practices and one count of fraud.

Ian Wheeler, 45, from Pontypool, had been taken to court by Torfaen council over a string of botch job offences

One couple from Pontypool saved up for a year before paying Wheeler £4,000 to level their garden and install a patio and driveway.

Wheeler subsequently lied about his bank account being frozen and convinced them to hand over an additional £2,500 - before not doing the work.

Meanwhile, a Newport couple faced a £20,000 repair bill to rectify Wheeler's substandard work on their driveway.

The pair, the court heard, were forced to remortgage their property.

Another client paid a £3,250 deposit to install a glass balustrade in their garden, which never materialised.

Cardiff Crown Court heard of Wheeler's string of offences

A Cwmbran customer who paid a £1,400 deposit received only a "litany of excuses" from Wheeler.

The court heard how Wheeler distributed money from his business to various accounts, including that of his on-off partner, with clients sometimes instructed to pay directly into her account.

He later admitted this was an attempt to "support his own lies to clients about his accounts having been frozen", according to Judge Richard Kember.

Despite leaving customers thousands of pounds out of pocket, Wheeler currently earns approximately £52,000 annually as a subcontractor at a caravan park in Weston-super-Mare.

The court heard he has recently been trading with a new firm, as Gwent County Construction Ltd is no longer operating.

Judge Kember told Wheeler: "I'm quite satisfied you deliberately were accepting work when you knew you didn't have time to complete it."

He also issued a stern warning to the fraudster that sole traders must never take hefty deposits from new customers while knowing they cannot perform the work properly or within a reasonable time frame.

Wheeler received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 15 months, along with 10 days of rehabilitation activity and 120 hours of unpaid work.

Given his "relatively lucrative" subcontracting income, he was ordered to repay all £24,920 to victims within two years and eight months.