Traders have been warned to ensure the correct paperwork is in order when they carry out work after a Bridport gardener appeared in court.

Andrew Cooper, aged 46, of Crock Lane, was found guilty following a trial of an offence under the Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 for not providing written details of a consumer's rights of cancellation.

It follows work carried out at the Watton home of Angela Franklin.

Cooper was found not guilty of six other charges, including fraud by false representation and consumer protection offences, in a case prosecuted by Dorset Council's Trading Standards Service.

Cooper denied all the charges.

Weymouth Magistrates Court heard how on June 27, 2018 Cooper had been contacted by 66-year-old Ms Franklin, who had seen an advert for his company, Andrew's Landscapes, in a local magazine. She wanted him to carry out some work on the lawn in her back garden.

As Ms Franklin has since passed away, prosecutor Lucy Staddon-Snell showed the court a recorded interview Trading Standards officers conducted with her.

In this interview, Ms Franklin said Cooper visited her house 30 minutes after their phone call and started pricing up the work.

Ms Franklin said Cooper was "insistent" on also looking round the front. She said he quoted her £450 for the lawn work, as well as for cutting back trees and bushes in the front garden and replacing a gate post.

Ms Franklin claimed Cooper then arrived unannounced with his son Gary Craven on July 2, 2018 and started work, despite her not receiving any paperwork.

She claimed he kept pushing up the price, to an eventual total of £950 and she was "shocked" by this. She paid Cooper £500 in cash and gave him a cheque, written out to his son, for £450 after three hour's work.

The cheque was never cashed in, with Mr Craven telling the court he later ripped it up because "I don't like taking payment for a job until I have completed the work," but that Ms Franklin had been "insistent that we be paid up front."

Ms Franklin then raised concerns about Cooper with Trading Standards.

Cooper told the court he had quoted £500 for work on the front garden. He said his son arranged to do the back garden work for £450 and it had "nothing to do with him".

Prosecutor Ms Staddon-Snell told Cooper: "If you had given her the proper paperwork she would have known that she had the right to cancel."

She claimed he "moved the goalposts" on the price of work quoted.

Ian Brazier, defending, said Ms Franklin was "confused about what had been agreed between the two parties."

District judge Joanna Matson told Cooper: "It is very sad that Ms Franklin can't be cross examined on her evidence. There has been suspicious activity on your part but the prosecution could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt."

Cooper was fined £300 and must pay a £30 victim surcharge and £500 costs.

Notice should be provided

After the case, Richard Herringshaw, Principal Trading Standards Officer for Dorset Council, said: "Any trader carrying out work at a consumer’s home needs to ensure they provide the required notice of rights the consumer has to cancel contract. This helps ensure consumers have a chance to consider the work and cost of it properly and not be rushed into unwise decisions. This protection is there because of the potential for consumers to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous traders. If a Dorset trader is unsure of the requirements they can contact the Dorset Council Trading Standards business advice line on 01305 224702.”