Darlington Businessman Squandered Friend’s £60,000 Inheritance
A Darlington man betrayed his friend’s trust, misusing a £60,000 inheritance for personal gain
Darlington, UK, Fraud, Inheritance, Court
Darlington: So, there’s this guy, Billy Williams, who convinced his friend to invest £40,000 in his property business. The plan was to buy and fix up a house, then split the profits. Sounds good, right?
Well, the friend trusted him so much that he even left his bank card while he traveled in Thailand for a few months. But while he was away, Williams drained another £18,000 from his account for his own spending. Can you believe that?
In court, it came out that the victim, who has sadly passed away, was left nearly broke because of Williams’ betrayal. The money he invested was never used to buy any property. Instead, it went to cover Williams’ debts and personal expenses.
The prosecutor pointed out that there was hardly any business activity. Most of the money just went into Williams’ account, labeled as wages. It’s just heartbreaking to think about how the victim felt after trusting someone he considered a friend.
Before he died, the victim shared how hard life had become for him. He had served in the Army and had health issues, and he thought this investment would help him out. Instead, it turned into a nightmare.
Williams, who lives in Thornaby, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud, spending nearly £59,000 of his friend’s money. His lawyer said he felt ashamed and took full responsibility for what he did.
The judge gave him a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years. He pointed out how the victim’s trust was betrayed in such a terrible way. When the friend returned from Thailand, he realized that instead of investing, Williams had been living it up with his money.
Williams was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and attend rehabilitation sessions. There’s going to be a hearing later to see if any money can be returned to the victim’s estate. It’s just a sad story of trust gone wrong.