Photo: NZH / SuppliedA cowboy roofing contractor scammed more than $100,000 and ripped off several Cantabrians to bankroll his gambling high life. Macaulay Oliver Marchant, 25, has narrowly avoided jail for his dodgy roofing practices that ripped off 11 clients in Auckland, Christchurch, rural Canterbury, Mosgiel, Marlborough Sounds and the Wairarapa between December 2018 and February last year. "Mac" Marchant set up a limited liability company called Essential Roofing in August 2017 for roofing services in the Christchurch and Auckland regions. Instead, Marchant used the company's money "as his own personal spending money", according to court documents obtained by the Herald. Marchant rolled out excuses over the next week and Smith started losing trust and asked for her money back.

Source: Otago Daily Times May 27, 2020 23:25 UTC