Donna’s aspiration for a perfect garden emerged following the tragic loss of her only child. The garden project became a crucial focus for her healing journey, prompting her to enlist the help of Luke Evans from First Catch Gardening Maintenance.
Impressed by Evans’s punctuality and attire on the first day—an Akubra hat and a Driza-Bone coat—Donna felt reassured about her investment. She paid a hefty deposit of $15,000, convinced it was money well spent as work commenced promptly, including the removal of her gate fence and paving within a single day. However, things took a turn when weeds began to appear, prompting a revised quote from Evans that exceeded her expectations.
On the second day, Evans failed to show up, leaving Donna’s back patio looking more like a construction site with concrete and tarps than the garden she envisioned. Repeated attempts to contact him through calls and texts went unanswered.
Feeling vulnerable at 70 years old, Donna struggled with regret, saying, “Of course I blame myself.” The realisation that she had been ghosted and her money lost led her to report Evans to the police, expressing that his actions caused her deep emotional pain.
Several other victims in the Newcastle area have come forward, advising fellow homeowners to avoid Evans and his services.