Contractor Demolishes Five Ongoing Projects For Non-Payment

Court of law

A building contractor has been dragged to court for pulling down buildings he was supervising over non payment by his clients.

The contractor was arrested after he was accused of using a digger to cause up to £4m of damage to a row of newly-built retirement homes. He however attributed is non payment to the failure of his clients to pay up after he was accosted by the police.

The accused, Daniel Neagu, have been charged which criminial conspiracy after he pulled out five houses in in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, worth $800,000.

Neagu did not enter a plea during the hearing at Hatfield Magistrates’ Court where he appeared via videolink from police cells on Monday.

The 30 years old contractor, who had performed work for firm, McCarthy and Stone homes, was said to be arrested by the Hertfordshire Constabulary after called came in about his actions.

According to McCarthy and Stones, the owner of the property were expected to move into the building weeks before the incident happened.

Sitting on an estate still under construction, the homes in Ermine Street had external walls torn out, leaving debris littering their gardens. A turquoise digger stood beside the devastation.

The Romanian national living in Athelstone Road, Harrow, north-west London, was not employed directly by McCarthy and Stone and was instead working for sub-contractor Fenton, the McCarthy and Stone spokeswoman said.

“We are now awaiting a structural engineer’s report, so we can plan the work required to repair or rebuild these properties,” she added.

“We are absolutely devastated for the purchasers affected and our priority is to continue to stay in close contact with them and their families, and to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum.”

After being charge with criminal damage of houses belonging to McCarthy and Stone worth about 4M, Neagu spoke in court only to give his particulars and state his desire not to enter a plea yet.

He was, however reminded in prison by St Albans Crown Court on September 10.

Resident Elaine Francois, 61, while narrating how she ran of her house to confront he, told The Sun: “It looks like an earthquake or bomb struck.

“He was laughing and taking photos of the damage. When police got here he told them he wasn’t paid and that’s why he did it. He was totally calm.”