Builders who conned elderly branded 'scum' by victim

A builder who conned £86,000 from elderly and vulnerable people has been described as "absolute scum" by one of his victims.

William Smith scammed unsuspecting residents in Surrey and Sussex by overcharging them for roofing jobs, often causing further damage to their properties to bolster his original quote.

The 35-year-old, from Old Woking, was ordered to serve nearly four years in jail at Croydon Crown Court on 3 November after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud.

He also hit the headlines when he was mistakenly released from prison the same day, only to eventually hand himself back in after a short manhunt.