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Devon Trading Standards welcome sentence for cowboy carpet cleaner

Devon's trading standards have welcomed the sentencing of a carpet cleaner who ripped off customers across the South West.

Mark Dudley of Humber Road in Ferndown, Dorset, was this week sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment suspended for two years and 180 hours of community service.

He pleaded guilty to four offences under the Fraud Act and three offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

He operated across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Gloucester offering carpet cleaning at rock bottom prices before hiking up costs by up to 5,400 %.

In once case he charged an elderly lady with dementia £400, despite her having had her carpets cleaned the day before.

He will also have to pay £885 in compensation and £3,000 in prosecution costs.

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