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Mark Killick, a builder from Paulton in North East Somerset, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for defrauding 37 clients out of over £1.25 million. Operating under the company name TD Cole and occasionally using aliases such as Marc Cole and Mark Jenkins, Killick took substantial upfront payments between 2019 and 2021 but failed to complete the agreed work on customers’ properties. At Bristol Crown Court, Judge Moira Macmillan condemned his actions for inflicting “serious and ongoing” damage, describing the condition of many homes as “truly shocking.”
This case marked the fourth occasion Killick had been convicted of fraud since 2008. The prosecution’s five-month long trial detailed how Killick spent the money he acquired through deception, including on luxury items like a £25,000 Rolex watch that he claimed was a company asset despite his business struggling financially. Testimonies from numerous victims painted a distressing picture of properties left unfinished and financial ruin caused by Killick’s dishonest practices. Killick, aged 56 and residing on Shoe Lane, was found guilty on 37 counts of fraud, with the jury failing to reach verdicts on an additional eight charges.
Judge Macmillan highlighted Killick’s exploitation of the urgent demand for building services during the pandemic. “You decided to exploit the need for building services in the pandemic. In contrast to others in the industry you visited immediately and at short notice,” she remarked. The judge further outlined how Killick had systematically moved money through various personal and business accounts to obscure the flow of funds, and how he repeatedly sought more payments from clients despite making little or no progress on their projects. Authorities, including Avon and Somerset Police and Trading Standards, received over 100 complaints against him for his business conduct during the same period.
Killick will be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) for five years after his release, alongside a 15-year ban from serving as a company director. The SCPO is anticipated to include conditions such as requiring Killick to use the name Marc Cole consistently and preventing him from earning income through building contracts. At trial, Killick argued that he intended to complete all outstanding jobs had he not been arrested in November 2021. His criminal record is extensive, including previous fraud convictions in 2008, 2009, and 2014, and a 12-year Bankruptcy Restriction Order issued in 2006 that significantly limited his credit options. The Ministry of Justice also noted he had received six custodial sentences, with some convictions dating back to the 1990s.
Among those defrauded was Stephen Gledhill from Bristol, who described his feelings about Killick’s conduct: “Of course I’m angry, but I just feel sad for him really that he’s behaved in that way without any kind of real indication that he cares.” Mr. Gledhill had paid approximately £18,000 upfront for a kitchen installation that was never completed. After initially appearing trustworthy and professional, Killick became uncontactable once work stalled, having employed no direct staff and relying only on subcontractors who worked briefly on Mr. Gledhill’s kitchen. Victims like him found solace and support through a WhatsApp group for those affected and accessed legal advice via free online seminars offered by financial fraud investigator Richard Emery.
Emery explained how many victims have been able to recoup their losses through banking protections such as the CRM code, which was designed to reimburse customers whose funds were diverted in fraudulent schemes, even if banks did nothing wrong. He encouraged any victims of Killick’s fraud to pursue claims, noting that previous rejections by banks could be revisited under this code. Emery’s motivation to assist comes from his Christian faith: “As it says in various places in the Bible, faith without works is a bit useless.” Thanks to such advocacy, some of Killick’s victims have managed to recover part of their money despite the extensive damage caused
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