A man who conned nearly 70 customers out of more than £110,000 by falsely offering to build garden sheds and summerhouses has been sentenced to prison.
Alistair Baxter, 36, ran a fraudulent scheme from September 2020 to March 2024, operating under the name AB Garden Building Ltd. He advertised his services across social media, targeting people in Dunbartonshire, Stirlingshire, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. After taking deposits—sometimes thousands of pounds—Baxter either failed to carry out any work or only delivered materials, with no construction.
Despite taking additional payments from many victims, no garden buildings were ever completed. One customer, after paying £1,000 initially, was asked for another £1,650 over five months—only to be mocked by Baxter, who messaged him: “You’re not getting your shed ha ha ha.”
In Stirling Sheriff Court, Baxter pleaded guilty to defrauding 67 people and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. Sheriff Derek Hamilton described Baxter’s actions as “remarkably greedy” and said he “literally laughed” at his victims.
Prosecutor Jamie Hillend confirmed most victims received no refunds and are unlikely to recover their money.
