A rogue gardener in Wales has been exposed for fleecing customers out of more than £20,000 through shoddy and incomplete work. Darryl Baldwin-Skeet, 41, from Pontyclun, operated under the alias Diamond Groundworks Landscaping, deceiving two families who had hired him for gardening services in 2022.
During a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, it was revealed that Baldwin-Skeet had a history of fraudulent activities, including selling non-existent cars online. Prosecutor Lee Reynolds described how the defendant manipulated one couple by presenting fabricated examples of his work, leading them to believe his team was capable of completing the landscaping job they had hired him for.
Despite receiving payments totalling £20,823, Baldwin-Skeet left the work unfinished and demanded additional money from the couple, claiming he had underestimated the job’s cost. The victims felt coerced and pressured into making further payments, fearing that the defendant would abandon the project if they refused.
An inspection by a chartered surveyor exposed the substandard quality of the work, with only 50% of the agreed services and materials delivered. Electrical installations were deemed unsafe, retaining walls poorly constructed, and artificial grass not provided as promised, resulting in the couple being owed £20,868.
Another family fell victim to Baldwin-Skeet’s scams when they entrusted him to build decking in their garden. After an agreed payment of £825, the defendant increased the price to £1,041 before failing to show up for work, claiming he had not received the funds, which was later proven false by the couple’s bank.
In court, Baldwin-Skeet pleaded guilty to engaging in an unfair commercial practice. His defence counsel, Christopher Evans, argued that his client did not intend to deceive his customers but struggled to manage the workload and made poor decisions. Despite expressing remorse, Baldwin-Skeet was sentenced to nine months in prison, with half the term to be served in custody.
During sentencing, Judge Eugene Egan condemned Baldwin-Skeet’s actions, stating that he had exploited the trust of honest individuals and defrauded them. The judge highlighted the impact of such fraudulent practices on victims and emphasised the need for accountability in cases of financial misconduct.