CLJ Roofing Ltd owner delays court sentencing again

More than a dozen of Lawrence Martin’s victims showed up at Southampton Crown Court on Monday expecting the see the fraudster jailed.

But after a last-minute application by the defence, the case was put off for another month.

It had already been adjourned in December when Martin - who left customers with wrecked homes and empty bank accounts - claimed he needed to look after his children after his wife was taken to hospital.

One of his victims told the Echo: “We are all extremely angry. We are upset that he has hoodwinked the judge with lies and deceit.

“We know as victims that he has lied. He is using his wife. We are all angry.

“It is not the judge’s fault. He is manipulating the system.

“Spending the money we have given him on his own lavish lifestyle.”

READ MORE: CLJ Roofing Ltd owner stole thousands from Hampshire customers

The 36-year-old, of Chichester-based CLJ Roofing Ltd, initially denied fraud charges but changed his plea in October.

In December Southampton Crown Court heard his wife had been taken to hospital and Martin needed to look after their three children.

The sentencing was adjourned until Monday when the court was told that an assessment of his wife’s fitness had still not taken place and Martin had to be around to look after his children until it had been completed.

The defence said this would take 45 working days, but Judge Peter Henry said Martin had “used the system”, adding that the case needs to be resolved quicker.

Prosecutor, Ethu Crorie said: “In order to be around for his father’s deteriorating health he effectively played the system.

“His victims had to be told that they were required to give evidence at that trial.

“They had to come to terms with the fact that they would have to revisit these incidents from 2019 onwards that they had suffered at the hands of the defendant.

“He simply wanted to not be sentenced back then.”

Southampton Crown Court

Mitigating, Jennifer Branton said: “I can only apologise.

“At present there is no proper support in place for those young children.”

She added that the case was previously adjourned for the absence of a pre-sentence report, not because Martin was trying to delay proceedings.

But Judge Henry said this is “a very unacceptable position”.

“The victims in this case, many of whom have attended here, have had the anxiety not only of potentially having to give evidence but also had the frustration of delay after delay.

“I would not in any way consider any adjournment for reasons given by him.

“But I have to consider not just him but I have to consider in particular the three extremely young children and the mother of those children.”

Martin is now due to be sentenced on February 21.