Victims left devastated by conman cash ruling

Victims of serial fraudster and former Tipton Town FC chairman Bill Williams today spoke of their dismay after it was revealed he will only pay back a small fraction of the hundreds of thousands of pounds he stole from them.

The 60-year-old conman was ordered by a court to pay up just £36,000, despite netting more than £413,000 as a result of his criminal enterprise.

The decision has astounded his victims, who are continuing to pick up the pieces after each being conned out of thousands.

Williams stole the £276,000 life insurance and pension policies of murdered Andrew Diack. The money was owed to his three-year-old daughter, Megan.

Mr Diack's partner and Megan's mother, Rachel Evans, aged 31, of Stafford Road, Fordhouses, said today: "I think I was expecting that the police wouldn't be able to find too much of his money. We just know there has got to be more out there. It is disgusting."

Williams also ripped off Walsall pensioners Ronald and Sheila Haynes for their £95,000 life savings. He paid back about £37,000 but still owes the couple the rest.

Mrs Haynes, 67, said today: "He's taken so much money and has to pay back only a few pounds in comparison. It's a disgrace. He's not a stupid man. He must have more money tucked away somewhere."

Father-of-two Williams is part-way through a five-and-a-half year prison term for taking cash owed the daughter of Mr Diack. He has also admitted stealing £136,500 from three other victims from across the West Midlands. He is to be sentenced for those crimes later.

Williams, of Chester Road, West Bromwich, spent stolen cash on luxuries like family holidays to the USA.

He must return £36,269 within six months or face an extra 21 months in jail. The money will be given to his victims, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.