Conmen builder gang jailed

A gang of ruthless conmen builders who played a part in tricking a retired accountant out of £750,000 have been jailed for a total of 24 years. Michael O’Brien was jailed for five-and-a-half years, James O’Brien was jailed for five years, Darren O’Driscoll was jailed for five years and Patrick O’Driscoll was jailed for five years and Nathan Newman was jailed for three-and-a-half years at St Albans Crown Court last month after conning Yiu-Wing Au, 70, which forced him to re-mortgage his home. A sixth man, John Wesley, 39, of Fitneil Street, Acton, London is due to be sentenced at a later date. Mr Au paid nearly £100,000 for work on his Cassiobury Park Avenue house in Watford that was of such a poor standard it should only have cost £8,746, St Albans Crown Court was told. For more on this read the next My Watford News out on May 8.