St Albans paving firm fined for flouting consumer laws

A PAVING company and its director from St Albans are thousands of pounds out of pocket after admitting to breaches of consumer law last week. MC Paving pleaded guilty at Watford Magistrates Court last Thursday to five charges of displaying the log of a Go

A PAVING company and its director from St Albans are thousands of pounds out of pocket after admitting to breaches of consumer law last week.

MC Paving pleaded guilty at Watford Magistrates Court last Thursday to five charges of displaying the log of a Government-backed approved trader scheme of which they were not a member.

The company, which is based in Luton, was fined �300 for each offence and also fined �700 for failing to leave cancellation rights with a St Albans consumer. It was also ordered to pay a further �2,000 in court costs.

Its director Michael Connors, 51, of Ardens Rise, House Lane in St Albans, admitted that he consented to the commission of the offences.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge for the failure to leave a cancellation notice, fined �300 for each of the logo offences and ordered to pay �1,180 court costs.

Keith Emsall, the county council's executive member for community safety, said: "The size of the fines reflects the seriousness of these law breaches. They may seem minor offences but companies which commit them are making life even harder for legitimate businesses battling through a recession.