A conservatory company boss who swindled home owners out of more than £58,000 has been jailed for two years.

David Barry Richardson, of Direct Conservatories UK, took 44 orders in the space of a year to build extensions, but only one was ever constructed.

At the same time he took more than £58,000 in deposits, including thousands from customers in the Bradford district, the Court heard. The 39-year-old, of Malton, North Yorkshire, was also disqualified from becoming a company director for five years at York Crown Court after pleading guilty to fraudulently trading and ten charges of making false statements.

After the hearing, several of his victims said they were delighted with the verdict.

Julie Flaherty, of Keighley, lost £1,100 when she tried to purchase a new conservatory.

She said: "He deserves every single day. It really is fantastic news. The more conmen that are off the streets the better."

Ken Kent, of Bradford, handed over a deposit of £850. He said: "The sentence isn't long enough for what he has done."

Gideon Mycock, of Grosvenor Road, Shipley, paid £1,060 but later managed to recall his visa payment. He argued with Richardson after tracking him to his home when the conservatory did not arrive. He said: "I am very pleased because I was lucky not to lose a lot of money."

Richardson's activities were exposed by the Telegraph & Argus's Rights and Wrongs team in 2000 when we revealed how customers had been left thousands of pounds out of pocket. Judge Paul Hoffman said he accepted Richardson had initially intended to build conservatories but trapped people with dishonest claims about the company.

Nigel Ray, mitigating, said Richardson worked 60 to 70 hours a week to pay his family's bills including medical charges for a condition which causes his daughter to collapse.