The owner of a rogue carpet retail business has been handed a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to a number of fraud offences.

Christopher Lamb, named as a company director of Mobile Flooring Store Ltd, pleaded guilty to two Fraud Act offences and eight charges of engaging in an unfair commercial practice under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Based in North Tyneside, the company failed to complete any work for customers, leaving them thousands of pounds out of pocket, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

North Tyneside Council Trading Standards secured a prosecution against the business, which defrauded at least 10 victims across the region, to a total value of £33,431.36.

The business was incorporated on 6 January 2021 and was dissolved on 8 June 2021.

Upon his guilty plea, the Judge sentenced Mr Lamb to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, as well as 240 hours of unpaid community work and to pay his victims compensation.