William Hanson (Image: South Wales Police)
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A rogue builder who targeted elderly and vulnerable people – charging them thousands for work that was either unnecessary or substandard – has been ordered to pay back more than £1m following a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing.
William Hanson, 51, of Trowbridge Green, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to charges of theft, fraud, and aggressive commercial practices after conning multiple victims out of a combined £175,875.
The victims
One Cardiff victim was told in June 2020 that his roof was rotten and needed replacing at a cost of around £30,000. He paid £21,750 for work that was not needed and then had to spend a further £13,500 putting things right.
He said in a victim impact statement: “The feeling of being taken advantage of has not diminished. We had to borrow money and were told the work would be done in a matter of days. We now have trust issues. We started to doubt ourselves.”
An 86-year-old man living on the same street was told by Hanson he needed a new roof costing more than £68,000. His total losses exceeded £87,000. The court heard the roof actually required a localised repair costing a small fraction of that amount.
A third victim from Barry was told his garage was unsafe and that £17,700 worth of work was needed – work later described as substandard and incomplete.
A fourth victim – a 93-year-old woman who passed away in September 2023 – had £35,000 stolen from her after a zero was added to a £3,500 bill. A refund cheque was given to her but it bounced. A partial refund of £15,000 was eventually paid, still leaving her £20,000 out of pocket.
Sentencing
Prosecution barrister Lee Reynolds, representing Cardiff Council, described Hanson as someone who “targeted elderly and vulnerable consumers and grossly overcharged them”.
Her Honour Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told Hanson: “It is clear that your offending has had a serious and long-lasting impact on your victims. This case clearly crosses the threshold for an immediate custodial sentence.”
Hanson was sentenced in December 2024 to five years and two months in prison. He will serve half in custody with the remainder on licence. He was also made the subject of a criminal behaviour order banning him from carrying out any building, maintenance, or gardening work on any individual’s home in the UK for 10 years.
Fly-tipping
Hanson was sentenced again in March last year to one month and three weeks in prison for fly-tipping on land earmarked for social housing in St Mellons, Cardiff.
On 6 April 2023, a site manager on land off Crickhowell Road saw a Hanson Tipper & Grab Hire Ltd lorry depositing waste. The men in the lorry claimed they had permission from a named Cardiff Council officer – but no such person worked for the authority. CCTV checks revealed previous visits by Hanson lorries.
The court heard 80 tonnes of waste was attributable to Hanson through his directorship of the company. Some of the waste included asbestos, and the indicative cost of clearing it was put at £39,500. The fly-tipping also delayed proposed social housing development on the site.
Proceeds of Crime 💰
A POCA hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard Hanson benefited to the tune of £1,079,831 as a result of his offending and has available assets for that sum.
Judge Shomon Khan ordered Hanson to pay £1,079,831 within three months or serve an additional seven years in prison in default.
