New South Wales (NSW) Fair Trading Minister Eleni Petinos has warned consumers to check the credentials of tradespeople before allowing them to start work after a serial fraudster was once again convicted of doing shoddy building work while unlicensed. Matthew Geoffrey Rixon has been sentenced to 21 months in jail after being convicted of contempt of court for breaching NSW Supreme Court orders which restrained him from doing residential building work in NSW. “Mr Rixon is a serial offender whose actions have caused significant distress to many consumers,” Petinos said. “This prosecution highlights the importance of consumers checking the credentials of builders and other tradespeople before engaging a contractor for work and serves as a warning for other would-be offenders that they will be caught.” In NSW, a licence is required for trade work such as electrical, air conditioning, and plumbing, irrespective of the cost, while also required for all other residential …