Garay, who was described by former Fair Trading Minister Linda Burney as a "ruthless con artist", was found guilty of nine counts of contempt of court by Justice Peter Hidden yesterday.

Garay was sentenced to periodic detention in 2005 for similar breaches.

He was banned by the Supreme Court for five years in 2003 from doing residential building work, designing residential building work or advertising himself as a licensed builder.

The ban extended to his wife Melinda, the companies Premier Turf Supplies and Hunter Landscaping Supplies and anyone acting as their employee, agent or associate.

Justice Hidden found that Garay breached those orders by organising work at three houses at Singleton, Toronto and Wattle Ponds in 2007 and 2008.

Other charges, including three relating to a Department of Fair Trading undercover operation at Lochinvar, were dismissed.

When dismissing the Lochinvar charges Justice Hidden said: "On the most benign view of it Mr Garay's behaviour was undoubtedly imprudent and frankly his conversations with [the undercover operatives] paint him as something of a blowhard."

Garay's defence was that he legitimately worked as a landscaper and referred residential building work to licensed builders including his father-in-law, Lindsay McGoldrick.

Mr McGoldrick gave evidence supporting Garay, but Justice Hidden rejected much of Mr McGoldrick's testimony.

In relation to offences at the Singleton property, Justice Hidden said: "The proposition that a licensed builder [Mr McGoldrick] would undertake work in the absence of a written quotation and contract and having had no contact at all with the owner of the property, strains credulity.

"I am satisfied that it was Mr Garay who negotiated to undertake the work, representing himself as the builder and who was primarily, if not solely, responsible for its co-ordination and supervision."

No date was set for Garay's sentencing.