Posted on: 31 July 2025
A rogue Plymouth glazier who threatened customers and delivered substandard work has been handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work, following a successful prosecution by the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service.
Reece Adam Moate, 36, of Barrack Street, Plymouth, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court on Friday 25 July, where he pleaded guilty to multiple offences including fraud, misleading customers, and threatening to commit criminal damage. He has also been disqualified from acting as a company director for five years.
Although not listed as a director of Go Eco Glazing Ltd, Moate was found to be running the company’s day-to-day operations. He admitted to misusing the Police’s “Secured by Design” logo to falsely suggest that his products met police-approved security standards, misleading customers into believing their homes were protected by crime-resistant windows and doors. The court heard that complaints began surfacing in summer 2021, with customers reporting long delays, poor workmanship, use of incorrect materials, and aggressive behaviour. In one case, Moate even threatened to damage a customer’s property when they refused to pay for his substandard work.
Judge Linford described Moate’s conduct as “well below what is expected of a professional tradesperson,” noting the financial and emotional distress caused to his victims. Go Eco Glazing Ltd, now in liquidation, received a 12-month conditional discharge.
Fakir Mohamed Osman, Head of the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, said: “Moate tried to profit from poor-quality work and intimidation. This case sends a clear message: if you try to rip people off, you will be held accountable. We urge residents to use trusted sources such as the Trading Standards ‘Buy With Confidence’ scheme when choosing a trader.”