Billee Hopkinson: Preston trader to be sentenced next week after breaching trading regulations

35-year-old Billee Hopkinson of Tag Lane, Ingol, appeared at Preston Crown Court today (May 19 2023) for a sentencing hearing, after previously pleading guilty to three charges from The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations Act 2008.

The first two counts were for knowingly or recklessly engaging in a commercial practice which contravenes the requirements of professional diligence under regulation 3(3)(a), between the period of August 31 2020 to July 17 2021, and September 6 2021 to November 30 2021 respectively.

The third was for engaging in a commercial practice which is a misleading omission under regulation 6 on January 24 2022.

Hopkinson indicated a guilty plea for all three charges at Preston Magistrates Court on January 16, and was due to appear at Preston Crown Court for a sentence hearing on March 17, but it was postponed for unknown reasons.

At Hopkinson’s sentence hearing on May 19, Preston Crown Court heard the facts of the case, and the judge adjourned the sentencing until next week, on Thursday, May 25.

Hopkinson first featured in the Post when a former customer, Tony Carey, said he had handed over £6,200 ahead of a project on his house, before Ultra Restore pulled down large parts of his existing extension but never returned to finish the job.

Since then, two other disgruntled customers came forward. Anup Raj says he spent £26,000 on unfinished construction work before Ultra Restore went into a liquidation on December 31 2021, and mum-of-three Katie Sowerby says she lost £17,000.

When confronted by the Post last year, Hopkinson said he had been unfairly criticised and was the victim of rising costs in the building trade, which meant he had to pass on extra costs to customers after agreeing an original price.

At the time, Hopkinson said: “I’m a victim of circumstances, I’ve been open for 10 years or so, and every review was perfect until lockdown.”

Following Hopkinson’s appearance at Magistrates in January, Tony told the Post: “I’m pleased to see Billee is being prosecuted, I think he should be forced to sell his house to repay the people he’s taken money from. Billee has no business being in the building trade.”