A CONMAN builder scammed elderly customers out of thousands of pounds for fraudulent and substandard home improvement work. Adam Routledge, of Stenhills Crescent in Runcorn, appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to an offence of fraud committed in Manchester. The 36-year-old also had two similar offences of fraud committed in Cheshire taken into consideration before being handed a prison sentence. Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Trading Standards team joined forces with Halton Trading Standards to investigate complaints about the defendant from vulnerable residents in Runcorn and Northwich. They later joined up with Manchester Trading Standards colleagues who were already taking a case against him for similar offences.