Kildare landscaper swindled €50k from elderly woman
The 82-year-old woman complained about the standard of the work and asked for it to stop but was left feeling she had no option but to allow Connors and his employees to continue the work
A Newbridge landscaper who defrauded an elderly woman out of over €50,000 for poor quality work in her garden will have to return to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in May for a psychiatric report and sentencing.
Myles Connors (37), with an address at College Farm Heights charged the woman €48,000 for slabbing, weed removal and cementing part of her back garden, and a further €5,000 for power washing and painting her tarmac.
Gardai had the work assessed and found it should have cost €20,000 at most.
The 82-year-old woman complained about the standard of the work and asked for it to stop but was left feeling she had no option but to allow Connors and his employees to continue the work.
She told the court in her victim impact statement that since being taken advantage of she no longer feels safe and independent in her own home. The woman, who lives alone and has mobility issues, was left with poor quality slabbing that was uneven and unsecured.
Connors pleaded guilty to two counts of deception at a location in Co Dublin, on dates in June 2024.
Detective Garda Aileen Deely told prosecuting counsel that Connors had done work for a neighbour of the victim and they recommended him to the woman who was looking for similar work done. The neighbour was charged €5,000 for the work done in their garden.
Gda Deely said on June 6, 2024, Connors and three employees arrived and began weed removal and cementing the woman’s garden, which she was told this would cost €11,600.
He showed her a brochure and she picked out slabbing. He then quoted a price of €48,000.
The court heard that Connors had purchased slabbing for €1,200 the previous day which was the material subsequently used in the woman’s garden.
Det Gda Deely said that on the same day Connors contacted a garage and put down a €1,000 deposit on a Ford Ranger Raptor, and following a trade-in of his old car, Connors had an outstanding balance of €35,000.
The following day the slabs and bags of sand for which a total of €1,420 was paid by Connors was delivered to the woman’s house, and three employees began work.
Connors told the woman he required €35,000 of the €48,000 and imposed on her to write a cheque for that amount, and told her to make it out to the company he was buying the vehicle from.
The woman wrote the cheque but later asked Connors’ employees to stop as she was not happy with the work and said they were not the slabs she had ordered.
Connors called to the elderly woman’s home and told her he was very upset about what she had said to his employees. He also told her his wife was very upset about it.
The woman reluctantly allowed them to continue the work and felt she could not say no.
The court heard that on June 14, 2024 Connors power hosed the tarmac and charged her €5,000.
He also painted it black which she had not asked for. She then wrote a cheque for €18,000 to cover the rest of the money outstanding.
She got a handwritten receipt and continued to express disappointment about the standard of the work. She later made a complaint to gardaí.
Gardai reported the work had been carried out to a very poor standard. Flower beds had been put in with loose bricks and the paving was uneven and not properly secured. The material used cost less than €3,000.
Connors was arrested and maintained his right to silence, making no admissions. He has one previous conviction for criminal damage.
The elderly woman told the court she had just been released from hospital and wanted some weed removal done around her home. She said she had invited Connors, someone she trusted, to do the work, but he had other ideas.
She said Connors had ruined her life, leaving her heart racing every time the doorbell rings and nervous to answer the phone. She told the court she feels her independence is failing.
Defence counsel said €41,800 had been frozen in Connors bank account and he had a bank draft to make up the balance of the money.
He said his client had been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for some time. He said a psychiatric report and been ordered but was not yet before the court.
Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case, which she described as deeply serious, until May 19, 2026 to allow the report be completed. A full plea in mitigation will be heard on that date.
