A FATHER and son ripped off elderly people by charging extortionate rates for work on their drives that turned out to be substandard.

Thomas Johnson, 57, and Tommy Johnson, 29, pleaded guilty to fraud at Exeter Crown Court after admitting targeting and cold calling victims aged 64 to 86 across Somerset, Devon and Dorset.

Thomas, who has a previous conviction in relation to rogue trading, wore a meaningless ID badge he’d issued himself, while the pair fitted orange lights on the top of their vehicles and stuck reflective strips on them to appear legitimate.

The crooks, of Birtley Road, Guildford, Surrey, hid their true identity by using the name of a dissolved company, Nuway Surfacing Ltd.

Their work involved laying a film of hot tar covered by loose chippings, but an investigation by Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Service found it was not up to scratch and the two men had charged way above the going rate.

They pleaded guilty to offences relating to the fraudulent non-provision of cancellation rights and the use of paperwork and other articles for use in the fraud and will be sentenced on Friday, October 2.

Cllr David Hall, deputy leader of Somerset County Council, said: “Rogues like this operate across county boundaries and our Trading Standards have to as well in order to deal with them effectively.

"The Devon and Somerset service is well placed to meet these challenges.”

Cllr Roger Croad, Devon County Council’s cabinet member responsible for Trading Standards, said: “The defendants' fraudulent activities were planned in advance.

“I would like to thank the victims for their courage in agreeing to give evidence in this matter.

"Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Service will continue to do all that it can to protect residents and legitimate local businesses from such illegal trading activities."