Two rogue traders who scammed elderly victims out of thousands for unnecessary building work have been ordered to pay back more than £100,000.

Sonny Maughan and Emmanuel Scarrott told vulnerable people in Herne Bay, Longfield and Greenwich that they needed repairs to their roofs and chimneys.

The pair conned cash from mainly pensioners – two aged in their 80s and 90s – with bogus roofing contracts in north Kent.

However, the work was not needed and the pair would often cause damage to the properties during their substandard work but charged extortionate prices.

It was found the scam involved nearly £500,000.

In a separate fraud, Scarrott, 32, approached a homeowner in Chatham and claimed to be a police officer investigating rogue traders.

He told the victim he could get a refund but would need to pay some money up front for legal representation and VAT.

After the victim’s family became suspicious and contacted the police, an investigation was launched.

Detectives then listened into phone calls and heard how the victim was pressurised into over-paying more money.

Both were arrested in November 2020 and later admitted conspiracy to commit fraud. They were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court in February 2022.

Maughan, formerly of Brakefield Road, Gravesend, was jailed for five years, while Scarrott, formerly of Hovefields Avenue, Basildon, was sentence to four years.

Investigators from Kent Police’s proceeds of crime team continued to investigate the pair’s finances and went back to court on Tuesday (October 22) to apply for confiscation orders.

Maughan, 31, was ordered to repay £100,000. Scarrott was previously ordered to repay £12,000 and has since done so. The money will go to the banks who refunded the victims following the offences.

Detective Inspector David Godfrey said: “Rogue traders like Maughan and Scarrott mercilessly prey on the elderly and vulnerable to defraud them of the savings they have earned over their lifetimes.

“We won't stop working to bring such people to justice and, as in this case, see them jailed for their crimes.

“Just as important though is that criminals are prevented from profiting from such offences and I am pleased our financial investigators have managed to recoup a large chunk of money in this case.”