A former millionaire demolition contractor has been locked up for 27 months for failing to pay a single penny of a £176,000 confiscation order.

William Reidy, 65, had “shown no interest or willingness” to stump up any of his ill-gotten gains, a judge at Bradford Crown Court told him.

Reidy, formerly of Bolton Old Hall, Cheltenham Road, Wrose, was imprisoned for 16 months in 2007 for illegally dumping waste, including asbestos.

He was prosecuted by the Environment Agency after they traced vehicles illegally tipping on Council land at Low Moor, Bradford, to his company, Space Making Developments.

In November 2009, a court was told he needed to sell land and houses to repay money he made breaking the law to boost profits.

A confiscation order in the sum of £176, 519 was made after Reidy’s benefit from his criminal activity was ruled to be £1.7 million.

He was given six months to pay up.

Yesterday, James Fletcher, barrister for the Serious Organised Crime Agency, told the court no payment had been made towards the order.

He urged Judge Jonathan Rose to jail Reidy for the full 27 month default period.

Reidy’s barrister, Frida Hussain, said he had, late in the day, made some efforts to comply with the order, once enforcement was threatened.

He had health problems after undergoing a triple heart bypass in 2008.

“The ball is now rolling and things are being done to satisfy the order,” Miss Hussain said.

The court heard Reidy had a financial interest in two Bradford houses in Soaper Lane, Buttershaw, and Broadstone Way, Holme Wood, and in land at Tyersal Lane in the city.

Miss Hussain said he “did not have the heart” to apply for possession of the properties. His former partner lived in one of them.

Judge Rose told him: “You have not paid a single penny towards this confiscation order.”

He added: “You’ve done nothing. You have tried to do nothing.”

Any belated steps were now “too little and very much too late”.

Reidy did not heed the warning when he was given more time to raise the money. He had health issues but they could be adequately dealt with in prison, the judge noted.

Last month, Reidy told the court he had no money when he was sentenced for renting out a house in Lowther Street, Undercliffe, Bradford, for £250 a week to criminals who turned it into a £24,000 cannabis factory.

Now living in the Bridlington area, he was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.