BUCKLEY, Flintshire, June 28 — A couple in north Wales lost more than £30,000 to a rogue builder who left their roof leaking and, according to evidence heard in court, spent their money on holidays in Lanzarote.
Shelley Sawkins, 75, called the tradesman while he was supposed to be working on her bungalow. She realised he was in Lanzarote spending money she had given him. The builder, Christian Williams, 54, trading as Chris Williams Construction, is currently serving a two-year prison sentence after admitting theft and three counts of fraud by false representation involving four families.
The technical reality of the Sawkins’ situation is that they paid Williams roughly £30,000 for an extension that was never finished. Water poured into their home through the incomplete roof. Shelley and her husband Barry, 63, then spent a further £50,000 getting the botched job fixed — almost £30,000 more than the initial quote of £21,000. About £20,000 of that went to other builders who had to repair the mess.
Mold Crown Court heard in a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing earlier this month that Williams benefitted to the sum of £163,051.70 from his offending. The detail that matters: his assets meant he could only pay back £1.
Williams had been posting photos on Facebook of holidays and days out at the races. One of his other victims, a father of three, had to finish his own two-storey extension himself.
The Sawkins say the building work took “every penny” they had. Under the hood of this case is a pattern of fraud that left multiple families financially devastated while Williams enjoyed Lanzarote.
As ever, the gap between what a rogue builder promises and what he delivers can be measured in both pounds and trust. For the Sawkins, the repair bill — £50,000 — tells the story.
The case raises questions about how customers can protect themselves when hiring tradesmen. The Proceeds of Crime Act hearing outcome — a nominal £1 recovery against a £163,000 benefit — suggests that for some victims, the legal process offers little financial remedy.
What to watch next: whether Williams’ two-year sentence will be followed by further enforcement action, and whether the four families involved will see any meaningful compensation from the criminal justice system.
