The former boss of a window company has been found guilty of fraudulent practices - despite his attempts to flee the law.

Stockport Council's trading standards team brought a case against Steven Wright, from Bramhall, following complaints from residents.

Wright's company, The Cheshire Window Outlet Ltd, had not installed windows and doors that customers had paid deposits on.

Before starting the company, Wright himself had already been banned from director roles following two separate offences in 2014 and 2018. He got around the ban by setting up the Cheshire Window Outlet using his wife, Louise Wright, and later his friend, Mark Tibbot, as directors.

The new company was set up within months of Wright's most recent director disqualification.

The council's trading standards team pursued criminal charges against the company in 2022, and a trial date was set for later in 2024.

However, in early 2023 the Wrights sold their Bramhall home and fled to Florida. The court issued arrest warrants and the trial was rescheduled to September 2025 - it continued in their absence.

Wright's company, the Cheshire Window Outlet, was found not to have supplied or fitted windows which customers had paid deposits on (Image - Unsplash)

On 11 September, Steven Wright was unanimously convicted of fraud by false representation and breaching both disqualification orders.

Louise Wright was found guilty of two counts of acting in contravention of a disqualification order by assisting her husband. The company itself was also convicted of two counts of breaching a disqualification order.

Tibbot, who initially absconded, was arrested in 2023 after Greater Manchester Police issued a wanted appeal. He later pleaded guilty to assisting in the breaches and, in early 2024, received a 12-week suspended prison sentence.

Cllr Dan Oliver, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Public Protection at Stockport Council, said: "This successful prosecution demonstrates the council's absolute commitment to protecting our residents and holding dishonest businesses to account.

"Steven and Louise Wright acted with complete disregard for the law, deceiving customers and undermining trust in legitimate local traders. Thanks to the persistence of our Trading Standards team, we secured justice for those affected.

"This case sends a clear message – we will not tolerate fraudulent practices and will take firm action against those who exploit residents in our borough."

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