TWO Devon brothers who conned elderly Exmouth residents into paying for shoddy driveway resurfacing have received jail sentences for defrauding the public.

TWO Devon brothers who conned elderly Exmouth residents into paying for shoddy driveway resurfacing have received jail sentences for defrauding the public.

Edward Fry, 28, and James Fry, 19, both of Waterloo Cross Caravan Park, Uffculme, traded as Platinum & Quality Driveways in 2007 and 2008 and targeted elderly people in Exmouth, Dawlish, Seaton and Torquay.

The pair was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on Friday October 2 for defrauding members of the public with their driveway businesses.

They had earlier pleaded guilty to 11 offences between them under the Fraud Act 2006 and the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

The eldest of the brothers, Edward, was given a 12 month jail sentence suspended for two years on the condition he completed 300 hours of unpaid community service.

He was ordered to pay court costs of �3214.95 and compensation to his victims of �3326.88.

His brother, James, was also sentenced to 300 hours unpaid community service, ordered to pay court costs of �3214.95 and compensation to his victims of �3821.40.

Local residents had complained to Devon County Council Trading Standards when they were cold called by the brothers who offered to resurface their driveways.

A Devon County Council spokeswoman said: "The work completed was of poor quality with victims not happy with the quality of the work or they had started experiencing problems with the driveway after only a short period of time.

"Some victims had tried to contact the brothers to get the problems rectified, but false business addresses had been given as well as a false name by James Fry.

"Other offences identified throughout the trading standards investigation included false claims of what work was to be carried out and guarantees given for the work.

"Both traders also failed to provide the consumer with written notice of their cancellation rights."

Councillor Roger Croad, the county council's cabinet member for environmental and regulatory services, said: "These were deliberate attempts to evade liability and mislead consumers, and shows the lengths to which some rogue traders are prepared to go in order to try to evade their liabilities."

The pair had earlier pleaded guilty to 11 offences between them under the Fraud Act 2006 and the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

Edward Fry has been prosecuted before in 2007 for similar offences by both Devon & Dorset Trading Standards, the county council said.