A joiner took £3000 from a Sauchie woman as down payment to fit her kitchen but never did the job.

The crooked tradesman, 59-year-old Andrew Hind, is now behind bars for the deception.

Hind, of Elms Avenue, Eastbourne, appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court for sentencing.

He admitted that between November 1, 2019 and March 13, 2020 at Newtonshaw, Sauchie, he pretended to a woman that he would arrange for a new kitchen to be ordered and he would fit it for her.

He thus induced her to pay £3000 as an initial payment, knowing he never intended to do the work and obtained the money by fraud.

Depute fiscal Stewart Duncan said the woman had Hind recommended to her by her sister and he said he would use his trade discount card to secure her a cheaper price for the kitchen units.

However, having received the £3000 down payment, Hind became “difficult to contact”.

The woman contacted the Howdens store where the order should have been placed and they confirmed that had never happened.

Defence solicitor Robert Smith said his client is originally from Eastbourne and had now moved back there to live. His sister lives in Dollar and he had been staying there ahead of the court hearing.

He is currently unemployed and on benefits. None of the money had been paid back, the solicitor confirmed.

Sheriff Neil Bowie jailed Hind for 100 days.