Richard Williams was sentenced to 32 months in prison earlier this month
Richard Williams was sentenced to 32 months in prison earlier this month
11:50, 14 Mar 2026
A Merseyside dad has revealed how he and more than a dozen others were scammed by a fraudulent builder who pocketed more than £75,000 but never completed the work. For the best part of four years, Richard Williams took money from 16 victims for whom he said he would complete various building jobs.
Once the majority of the contracted price was paid, Williams would fail to show at the victims’ addresses to complete the work, leaving them with incomplete projects which they had to have finished off by a third party contractor.
What work was done was of poor quality and in many cases needed to be removed and re-done. In some cases, money was taken and no work was done at all.
The total value of the fraud was £75,840. Williams, 53, of Wimbrick Hey, Moreton, Wirral, was sentenced to 32 months in prison earlier this month.
Les Roberts, from Upton, was one of the 16 people who were hoodwinked by Williams when he had work done in February 2023. He said: “Our roof was knackered so we thought we’d get a loft conversion instead as we could do with the extra room. One of my partner’s friends had his number and he came round and said he could do the job.
“We’d just been let down by another builder who said he didn’t want the work which left us in a bit of a desperate situation. He said he’d do it for a reasonable price.
“It all looked above board and at the start of the job, it was going really well, it was flying. It was meant to take six to eight weeks and during this he asked us for money for parts, for his staff, which we gave him, but kept some back.
“After that first eight weeks, his visits were less and less frequent. This was as winter was coming and the work still wasn’t done.
“It was covered so the rain couldn’t get through to it but we couldn’t actually get into the loft to see what he had done because he’d blocked it off. There was a way he’d got around building regulations too by just taking pictures of the work rather than a visit.
“He started making up excuses why he couldn’t do the work. In the end we said forget it, winter was approaching, we got another guy in at cost to us as we’d already lost money.
“Next door but one to us had a garage conversion done by him as well, he’s been doing this since 2019. He actually left a live plug socket outside the house exposed.”
Les, who hosts the Blue Room Everton podcast, said compensation was not able to be clawed back from Williams after he made off with his money. Les said he and his partner Louise sank at least £20,000 into the work the builder had promised to complete.
He said: “He seemed really personable, your classic conman who could talk a good game then loses interest. Instead of kicking off, we actually wanted to keep him on side because he had our money.
“For months we’d be trying to be nice, which feels pathetic in hindsight. It caused a strain on relationships, we’re still having to pay off loans we took out.
“We can actually use the room now, but it still isn’t finished. It’s been horrible.
“We had to pay an extra £3,000 because he hadn’t stuck the rubber roof down. He’s terrible at what he’s doing.”
A gofundme has been set up for those impacted by the conman builder, with an aim of raising the £75,000 lost by those impacted. Les said Williams’ victims had shared stories of how they had been scammed.
He said: “A guy got in touch to say he’d had the same thing happen to him. Trading Standards said they had a case against him which took time to build.
“When we went to court, we met up with about eight others and shared stories and it came out that he was doing the same everywhere.”
Les added how Williams’ sentencing had ultimately been bittersweet for him and the other victims. He said: It’s satisfying to a degree but it doesn’t make anything better or help the situation.
“Hopefully he won’t be able to do it again when he comes out and this acts as a deterrent. When we went to court, we met up with about eight others and shared stories and it came out that he was doing the same everywhere.”
Cllr Stuart Bingham, Cheshire West and Chester Council cabinet member for neighbourhood pride and community safety, said: “I am really pleased that our Trading Standards officers were able to help these residents get justice. The damage done by rogue traders goes beyond money and is a real threat to their victim’s mental and physical health.
“Rogue traders like this face going to jail, big fines and compensation orders. Our Trading Standards Officers work hard to protect residents in Cheshire West and Chester from this type of fraudulent business activity, but they need your help.
“Please report anyone you think may be a ‘cowboy builder’ so that we can bring them to justice.” To donate to the gofundme, visit Fundraiser by susie laughland : Help 16 families regain £75k after devastating builder fraud
