Banned NSW builder jailed for contempt

An unlicensed NSW builder who repeatedly ignored court orders banning him from working in the industry has been jailed for at least one year.

Matthew Geoffrey Rixon pleaded guilty to contempt of court for breaching orders that stopped him from carrying out residential building work and in September 2014 was given an 18-month suspended prison sentence.

But five months later, he accepted $10,000 to complete a demolition and renovation job advertised in a local newspaper but never finished it.

Justice David Davies, in sentencing Rixon in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday, said the 33-year-old "could not have been in any doubt" that his actions contravened the orders.

"Not only was he not of good behaviour but he breached the same orders and did so in contempt of this court within five months of being sentenced and having been warned that he would face a full-time custodial sentence if he did not comply with the sentence imposed," he said.

Justice Davies sentenced Rixon to a maximum of 18 months in jail, with a non-parole period of 12 months.

He said his prospects of rehabilitation were "poor" and the likelihood of reoffending "high".

NSW Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean welcomed the punishment for Rixon's "shocking behaviour".

"Despite knowing full well he could not operate as a builder, Rixon took this poor man's hard-earned money, and left him high and dry," he said.

"Rixon certainly has form in this type of offending - yet he continued to behave badly despite a suspended sentence hanging over his head."