This contractor scammed clients out of $275,000 but won't spend more than 22 days in jail

A Calgary contractor who scammed clients out of hundreds of thousands of dollars will not spend any more time behind bars but his convictions will stand.

Kieron Warren appealed his convictions and six-month jail sentence.

On Monday, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Kim Nixon upheld his Fair Trading Act convictions but ruled Warren'ssentence was excessive, saying the time he's already served 22 days is appropriate.

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Warren's fines were cut in half to $23,000 but he must still pay back the families he duped out of about$275,000.

Defence lawyer Pawel Milczarekarranged for his client to have six months to come up with themoney to pay his fines.

In 2016,Warren was found guilty of misleading customers, not being licensed and failing to comply with contracts for incomplete work done in 2011 and 2012.

Six families gave Warren money to do renovations on their homes. Aside from demolition, very little work was actually completed.

The consumer protection legislation requires companies to have a licence which Warren did not have in order to demand pre-payment for services.

Though many of his victims showed up to watch Warren taken into custody last year, none were in thecourtroom for the appeal decision on Monday.

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