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Builder Sentenced for £86,000 Elderly Fraud; Brief Manhunt Follows

11/19/2025

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Summary

Story summary

William Smith, a builder from Old Woking, Surrey, was sentenced to nearly four years for defrauding £86,000 from elderly and vulnerable residents in Surrey and Sussex.
He overcharged for roofing jobs and damaged properties to inflate quotes.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud at Croydon Crown Court on November 3.
On the same day, he was mistakenly released from prison, prompting a brief manhunt before he returned.

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Story summary

William Smith, a builder from Old Woking, Surrey, was sentenced to nearly four years for defrauding £86,000 from elderly and vulnerable residents in Surrey and Sussex.
He overcharged for roofing jobs and damaged properties to inflate quotes.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud at Croydon Crown Court on November 3.
On the same day, he was mistakenly released from prison, prompting a brief manhunt before he returned.