'Relentless liar': Portsmouth con-artist who scammed holidaygoers out of £300k is jailed

A fraudster who spent years in a “dance of deception” to scam people out of their holidays has been jailed for her crimes.

Between 2019 and 2022, Shelley Simpson ripped off clients and friends alike via her fraudulent company, Sphere Events Ltd, which she claimed could provide package holidays at a discounted rate.

Simpson, from Westwood Road in Hilsea, insisted that clients paid upfront - either a deposit or in full - before spending that money on personal expenses, or refunding some of her other victims. In most cases, the 46-year-old would tell people at the eleventh hour at flights, accomodation or the entire holiday had fallen through, taking her ill-gotten gains in the process.

At Portsmouth Crown Court today (Wednesday, May 6) Simpson appeared in the dock for sentencing. There, the court heard how the defendant was trading at a loss, using customer funds to pay outstanding balances when they were due.

She told clients that third-party errors were to blame, when in fact she falsified documents to suggest bookings had been made in full. One British Airways flight booking was falsified three times, along with bank records to show she had paid.

Some people were refunded, but others were hung out to dry, made to fork out thousands of pounds for return flights from the other side of the world, or left without hotel accommodation after arriving at their destinations.

In total, 90 individuals were left out of pocket by approximately £250,000, while she defrauded suppliers of about £55,000.

The courtroom was packed with her victims, while Simpson herself sat motionless in the dock, her arms resting on the bench and refusing to turn her head towards those she had wronged.

In mitigation, the court heard how some holidays organised by Simpson had gone through without any issues, and that several refunds were issued, either by the defendant or during the administration process.

Her solicitor told the court that she would pay compensation to her victims, but “doesn’t have a penny to her name” at the time of sentencing.

Simpson also suffered a stroke last year, and has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Sentencing, judge William Ashworth said: “You enticed customers to give you money upfront. You sought out friends and asked them to get their friends to engage with you - then pressured these people who trusted you into giving sums of money at very short notice, thten utilised that money to pay for your own holidays, as well as private schooling for your children.

“You would lie relentlessly, the nature of it is breathtaking. You lied to customers, you lied to providers, and falsified documents.

“These people trusted you; the money you were defrauding was going directly ino your personal bank accounts. You’re a compulsive liar with a callous disregard for your clients.

“You have expressed remorse, but repayment to your customers has been limited. This was not a one-off financial problem that you defrauded your way out of, but a scheme that over and over again you performed the same dance of deception.”

Simpson’s prosecution came after a Portsmouth Trading Standards investigation, supported by the National Trading Standards Tri Region Regional Investigations Team.

Lord Michael Bichard, chairman of National Trading Standards, said: “Simpson’s actions took advantage of people who had saved hard for dream holidays, honeymoons and once-in-a-lifetime trips. She left some victims stranded abroad, facing significant emotional distress and, in some cases, tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket.

“Fraud like this not only devastates holidaymakers, it also harms legitimate businesses who play by the rules. As we approach the summer holiday season, we urge people to be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true, to check independent reviews and to report any concerns to Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133.”

Simpson was sentenced to 33 months in prison, and has been disqualified from business ownership for eight years.