The Federation of Master Builders has backed a court ruling that handed a cowboy builder an anti-social behaviour order and called for the use of similar measures to control rogue builders in the industry.

Ian Davis, director general of the FMB, said: “The FMB fully supports the use of ASBOs to force rogue builders to stop trading. We have been campaigning for many years for effective sanctions against cowboys to prevent them from conning consumers.”

Builder David Flaherty was issued with a five-year ASBO by Mold crown court in north Wales in January for accepting payments for jobs he did not complete.

As a result of the order, Flaherty cannot work in the building industry unless he is employed by a legitimate construction company. He is banned from advertising, seeking work or collecting money for building work.

Flaherty had pleaded guilty to a theft charge involving £13,000, and three deception charges. His victims included a takeaway restaurant owner who was conned out of more than £6000 and three property owners who each lost between £3000 and £4000.

As well as the landmark ASBO, Flaherty was jailed for three years for the deception and theft.

Davis said he hoped more council trading standards officers would follow Mold council’s example.

He said: “We hope that trading standards officers up and down the country will now follow this example of how to tackle rogue builders. The FMB expects the new government to give them every support in this vital work.”

Property developers Jeremy Freeman, Simon Freeman, Anne Freeman and contractor David J Mitchinson were fined a total of £100,000 plus costs after an HSE prosecution after the death of a worker during the refurbishment of a Georgian mansion block in London.