Rita Hunter, 63, who ran Hunters Travel in Liverpool, used former customers’ credit and debit cards for new bookings made via the consortium, only to funnel the cash into her own accounts.
While many customers were able to claim the money back from their card providers, Advantage was lumbered with the bill under its obligation to honour the bookings.
However, it noted a series of chargeback requests shortly after Hunter joined the consortium in October 2014, ended her membership and alerted police.
She was arrested in September 2015 and admitted two counts of fraud by dishonestly making false representation when she appeared at Liverpool crown court in August 2016.
Hunter was sentenced to 18 months in jail, suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay Advantage back £33,000, as well as other compensation amounting to nearly £20,000 more.
On Wednesday (April 18), Hunter was hauled up before magistrates in Sefton and was sentenced to six months in prison for culpable negligence, the Liverpool Echo reports, after it was revealed she paid back just £250 of the £51,430 compensation she owed.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, Advantage managing director, said: “We are very pleased Rita Hunter has now been imprisoned following her failure to pay a criminal compensation order.
“The matter concerning Rita Hunter has been ongoing for a number of years and we now feel justice has prevailed, not only for ourselves but for the customers which were affected by Rita’s actions.
“We hope the outcome of this case will act as a deterrent for others. We are aware there are ongoing investigations being carried out concerning other victims affected.”
Advantage, which pursued the original civil case against Hunter, later campaigned for a register requiring all consortia, as well as the likes of Abta and the CAA, to keep a register of fraud convictions and report any concerns to the relevant authorities.
