A fraudulent builder from Sandwich, Michael Rylands, has been jailed after conning victims out of thousands of pounds and falsely claiming he had cancer to avoid court. Kent Police’s investigation revealed Rylands took advance payments for building jobs between 2019 and 2021 but failed to complete the work, leaving customers out of pocket and projects unfinished.
Unfinished Work Scams
Rylands accepted payments for multiple jobs, including a £6,000 contract to install a climbing frame at a pre-school in east Kent, completing only minimal groundwork before abandoning the project. When challenged, he claimed cancer treatment prevented him from working.
Fake Excuses And Stolen Goods
He also took £3,000 for windows on an office renovation, which were never delivered or installed, blaming theft for their disappearance. Unauthorized orders exceeding £2,000 were placed on a builder’s company account without consent, further showing Rylands’ deception.
Dodged Payments And Missing Tools
A further victim paid £2,000 for a bathroom renovation, only to be warned anonymously about Rylands’ fraud. Despite Rylands claiming a frozen bank account, detectives proved he made withdrawals during that time. Another victim reported missing cash and tools alongside incomplete ensuite bathroom work.
Fraudulent Supplier Debts
Rylands ran up unpaid bills of over £3,300 at building supply stores and also failed to deliver £4,250 worth of nail guns he falsely promised to supply, never repaying the debts.
Fake Illness To Mislead Courts
While a defendant in a prior fraud case in November 2022, Rylands attempted to delay proceedings by falsely claiming hospital cancer treatment. Hospital checks disproved his story, leading to additional charges of perverting the course of justice.
At Canterbury Crown Court, Rylands, 44, admitted seven fraud offences and misleading the court. He was sentenced to 22 months in prison on 26 June 2026.
Detective Constable Benjamin Deegan said: “Our investigation uncovered a trail of unhappy people who had put their trust in Rylands and ended up out of pocket. He showed little remorse, hoping that pretending to have cancer would get him off the hook. We’re pleased justice has been served.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
