Conman's son took over 'family' business.

The son of a professional conman took over his father's fraudulent company after he was jailed, a court heard.

Colne Valley man Jonathan Duggan, also known as Ripley, ran the fake company after John Duggan was locked up for six years last year.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Duggan kept the business, Professional Builders, going and conned suppliers out of materials.

His barrister, Jonathan Oultram, said his client was not the 'apprentice in waiting' when he defrauded Thompson's Directory out of pounds 7,000 in September last year.

But the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Stephen Gullick, told Duggan he had been a "willing apprentice".

Ordering Ripley, 25, of Leymoor Road, Golcar, to serve a 36-week jail sentence, suspended for two years, he said: "I have not the slightest doubt you knew why your father had been locked up and you decided to take up the mantle.

"You knew perfectly well what was going on and you could have taken steps to cancel the orders."

Ripley was also ordered to serve a 120-hour community punishment order and pay pounds 1,200 costs.

A man involved in the elder Duggan's frauds was Damion Barratt, 26, of Freeman Road, Southowram.

Prosecutor Richard Newbury said Barratt was involved at an earlier stage and had a hand in more of the dodgy companies.

Mr Newbury said that building companies had been set up since 2002 and ordered materials and equipment from suppliers who were never paid.

Each company was wound up after only a few months and a fresh company set up.

Barratt also played a part in setting up a firm, Gas Zone, which ripped off the public.

Judge Gullick jailed Barratt for 18 months.