Fraudulent Landscaper Sentenced: How One Man’s Scam Left £200,000 of Ruined Gardens

A Helston landscaper who cost customers £200,000 has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, following a successful prosecution by Cornwall Council.

Deception Across Two Landscaping Businesses

On 9th January 2025, Scott Andrew Murray, aged 36, of Nancegollan, was sentenced at Truro Crown Court after pleading guilty to fraudulent trading offences. Murray, formerly the director of Icon Landscapes Limited between July 2018 and March 2023, created another business, Select Landscapes, after Icon Landscapes entered administration in January 2023. Both businesses offered landscaping and garden services but were operated dishonestly.

Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards team investigated 19 incidents involving Murray, uncovering a pattern of fraudulent business practices.

Customer Losses and False Claims

Customers reported several alarming issues, including:

• Taking deposits and staged payments without issuing formal contracts.
• Failing to start or complete work or delivering substandard, unsafe results.
• Claiming to have ordered materials that never arrived, despite being paid for.
• Providing false excuses for delays, even blaming the supposed death of his father, which was later proven untrue.

In one shocking incident, a pergola was built so low that the customer couldn’t stand underneath it—Murray’s solution was to prop it up with blocks of wood.

At the same property, workers cut the wrong tree branch and attempted to reattach it by screwing it back on. Another customer’s breeze block wall, built without stabilising foundations, was placed directly on patio slabs. The same patio had been laid over a wooden post that Murray falsely claimed had been removed.

Lifestyle Funded by Customers’ Misfortune

Despite the devastation caused, Murray’s financial records revealed over £40,000 of personal spending on restaurants, entertainment, and holidays during the period of fraudulent trading—on top of his regular salary.

The total losses faced by victims amounted to £200,000, though prior to sentencing, Murray refunded around £82,000 to some customers.

Court Sentencing and Impact on Victims

At sentencing, Judge Simon Carr described Murray as “a terrible businessman” who knowingly took on work he was unqualified to complete. The judge noted the devastating impact Murray’s actions had on his victims, adding that several of them passed away while waiting for the dream gardens they had paid for.

Council Praises Trading Standards Team

Councillor Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for Public Protection, praised the Trading Standards team, stating:

“The financial and emotional impact that these crimes leave on their victims cannot be under-estimated. There will always be situations where genuine businesses fail, but we hope that this sends a strong message to those who intentionally exploit their customers and give no thought to the consequences of their actions.”

Alvey also encouraged residents to consider using approved traders through the Buy With Confidence scheme to avoid falling victim to rogue businesses.

Victims’ Support Vital to Prosecution

Gary Webster, Group Leader for Trading Standards, expressed gratitude to the victims for their support throughout the lengthy investigation, commenting:

“As this case demonstrates, it can take a long time to bring these cases to a conclusion. Victims often face the prospect of not seeing a penny in compensation, but their willingness to support the prosecution process is vital in securing convictions.”

Cornwall Council hopes this case serves as a warning to those considering exploiting their customers for financial gain.