Plumber 'has leak' in water tank

Mr Williams antics were caught by a hidden camera

A Sussex plumber who found himself caught short on a job relieved himself in a customer's water tank, Guildford Crown Court has heard.

It happened when Roy Williams, 45, from East Grinstead, was left alone in a house in Leatherhead, Surrey.

But unknown to Mr Williams, his intimate moment was being filmed by a hidden camera as part of a trading standards ploy to catch rogue traders.

Mr Williams denies all charges against him, including attempted deception.

He was called out to the house in November 2003 as part of an operation by Surrey Trading Standards, which had rented a house for six months and rigged it with hidden cameras.

Surrey Trading Standards hid the camera in the duck

As part of the annual covert operation, an officer posed as a householder as tradesmen were called in to fix "faults".

On the morning of 4 November an expert had set up an apparent leak in the water tank by displacing the lid on the arm of ballcock, causing an overflow through a pipe into the back garden.

Jerome Wilcox, prosecuting, told the jury that Mr Williams had sent his apprentice to fetch two new valves without checking whether the valves in place were faulty.

The court heard that once alone, Mr Williams took advantage of the private moment to relieve himself into a white vase.

Drinking water

He then poured the contents of the vase into the hot water tank before washing it out in the cold water tank which provided the household's drinking water.

Mr Williams also told the "customer" that although the leak was in the hot water tank, the other valve was "old" and needed replacing.

The "customer" was billed £144 for the work and £29 for the materials, the court was told.

Mr Williams denies charges of attempted deception, making false trades description and making a reckless statement.

His company, Always Maintenance, also denies a further charges of making a reckless statement.

The case continues.