'We knew him and we trusted him and he's taken us for a ride' Paddock family accuse millionaire plumber of leaving them in the cold.

Byline: By DAVID HIMELFIELD News Reporter

A PLUMBER who claimed to have made a million left a young Huddersfield family without heating - and then taunted them with callous text messages.

Self-proclaimed millionaire Jamie Posner had agreed to fit a boiler for Nina Johnson, 28, and Steve Bostock, 32, of Paddock.

But the couple and their children Chloe, eight, and Courtney, five, opened their Christmas presents in the cold after Posner failed to fit their boiler. The work has still not been completed.

Nina and Steve had paid pounds 2,350 in July for a central heating system from Posner's company Peak Plumbing and Heating Services in Paddock.

And while radiators and pipes were installed the family are still without central heating.

Nina, a cleaner, attempted to contact Posner.

But after failing to return her calls, Posner sent a text to Steve's phone saying: "Do what you want. Gone bust so it don't (sic) really matter to me."

But when Nina replied telling Posner, of Firth Street, how she felt, he replied: "I'm happy. Best thing that could happen. Not only am I minted, I now don't even have to work. It's ace."

Nina said: "I'm really upset because at the end of the day my house is freezing. He's just stuck two fingers up at us.

"We knew him and we trusted him and he's taken us for a ride.

She added: "I have probably lost my money now and wondered how many other people have helped make this man a millionaire.

"I hope he sleeps well at night in his warm flat while we struggle to find the money to finish the job."

In 2006 Posner, who employed 11 people at one time, claimed to have assets worth more than pounds 1m. He had the plumbing business but also branched out into property development, with contracts for work on houses.

David Lodge, from West Yorkshire Trading Standards, said: "The golden rule is don't pay the whole amount until you are happy with the job. It's not unusual for builders to ask for some money up front but asking for the whole amount is suspicious.

"If it's a large amount offer to pay in instalments.

"If they're offering to do the job cheaper for cash, be wary. If they think it's okay to rip-off the VAT, they might think its okay to rip you off."

Posner refused to comment.

CAPTION(S):

PROBLEMS: Nina Johnson (left) and Steve Bostock and their daughters, Courtney (centre left) and Chloe, of Church St Paddock. Right: Jamie Posner, and (below, left) one of the text messages they received (AC150208Fgas)