Im always amazed at crooks like that Wayne Smith. Hes quite delibertately and puposely ripped off about 20 people to the tune of £100k, and stands there and there to bareface it out and pretend hes all innocent and didnt do anything wrong.
Personally speaking, if i didnt get my money back id break the bastards legs (or at least my mate would, while i was in the pub with an alibi)
On the other hand, you have to goggle at the gargantuan stupidity of people who hand money over up front to total strangers. Whenever ive had anyone do work on the house, then they get not one penny till ive seen the finished job and passed it. If the cant do the job without some cash up front then they get shown the front door.
And id still do Melinda Messenger. I met her once at the Silverstone F1 Grand Prix about 12 years ago, she was with Frank Skinner and had lunch on the table next to us.