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A conman from Cornwall lost customers an estimated £191,000 after he mis-sold solar panels to more than 20 people.
On Friday (November 6) Jonathan Alan Vidler, of Camelford, pleaded guilty at Truro Crown Court to five counts involving fraudulent trading.
The 61-year-old admitted four charges that on varying dates between January 1, 2021 and May 31, 2024 he was knowingly a part of Energy Consulting & Contracting Ltd for fraudulent activity – namely that he misled customers to carry out work.
He also admitted one count of fraud between January 1, 2021 and September 30, 2023, when he dishonestly, and intending to make a gain, caused loss when he booked work when unable to supply materials or install solar installations for which he had been contracted.
Prosecutor David Sapeicha told the court that Vidler was trading in the domestic solar panel installation industry.
He operated as Energy Consulting & Contracting Ltd, as well as Jonathan Vidler Consulting Ltd and Net Zero (Energy) 2050 Ltd.
The companies were run by Vidler, but he would appoint contractors to install the solar panels and associated equipment.
“The fact was, he couldn’t keep the promises to customers,” said Mr Sapeicha, who said the defendant would quote for installations and customers were “taken in by his claims”.
He told customers their equipment could be installed within an “extremely competitive” four to eight months, but in fact they were left waiting more than 12 months.
The prosecutor said Vidler used logos to which he had no association, in order to attract customers.
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Ten customers had none of the equipment installed that they had paid for.
One contractor installed equipment but threatened to remove it as he had not been paid.
On other occasions, some of the equipment installed was of a lesser quality and incapable of selling electricity back to the grid, as had been promised in the sales pitch.
Some customers received only partial refunds.
Mr Sapeicha said that latterly Vidler had been working with the energy advice charity Community Energy Plus and through that he was about to make contact with potential customers, advising them that he was offering installation privately.
One of the contacts was for Par Bay Community Trust, but Vidler failed to pay the installers and the work was not completed.
Vidler also targeted social contacts, such as people he met through his golf club.
Batteries were never supplied, equipment was not received and they had to pay other installers.
When spoken to, Vidler would claim supply problems with the batteries.
He also told people he would provide information after speaking to Trading Standards, but never did.
The prosecutor said the total loss was estimated at £191,000.
Judge Simon Carr told Vidler: “You promised work would be done when you had no ability to do that.
“You took deposits for goods you were never going to produce and left a significant number of people out of pocket.
“There is an element of you getting in over your head and running what is the equivalent of a Ponzi scheme, but there is also evidence of fraudulent trading in the true sense of the word.”
He said there were 23 incidents listed in the file before him.
Judge Carr said Vidler would be facing prison time, but for the fact he was now seriously ill and receiving aggressive treatment for cancer.
He noted that the defendant had no resources to pay any compensation or costs.
However, as a result of a recent change in guidelines, Judge Carr said he was now able to issue longer suspended sentences.
As such he sentenced Vidler to three years in prison, suspended for three years.
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