TWO traders from Ireland who charged an 86-year-old York man £650 after pressure washing his drive have been convicted of aggressive, misleading and fraudulent commercial practices.

York Magistrates issued warrants for the arrests of Michael O’Connors, 26, of Bunclody, Wexford, and William Connors, 19, of Brookfield, Carnew, after they failed to appear in court and were tried in their absence.

Their solicitor Stuart Page had said they were unable to attend because a family member had just suffered a heart attack.

They were both found guilty of using ‘harassment, coercion or undue influence', and of providing false information, which caused the customer to take a decision he would not otherwise have taken for them to pressure wash his driveway. They were also convicted of making a false representation, by committing to work that had not been completed, to gain £650.

Neil Holdsworth, prosecuting, said they called at the pensioner’s home in Upper Poppleton, last August Bank Holiday and offered to clean his block-paved drive. He decided to go ahead as he was looking to sell the property and improvements were needed, and a fee of £270 was agreed.

After cleaning, they put sand in between the blocks but without sealant, and then carried out more cleaning work elsewhere, after which they said he owed them £650 in cash.

He want with them to the Post Office to take it out, but the sub postmistress was suspicious and took their van’s registration number. Police spotted it the next day, and arrested them. They claimed in interview they intended to come back and finish the work.