Shelley Simpson, 46, operated a "Ponzi-style" operation in which she would pretend to take holiday and events bookings and then fail to pay suppliers.

Many of her victims were left having to shell out significant sums to airlines and accommodation providers to rescue their trips or risk being left out of pocket altogether.

An investigation by Portsmouth Trading Standards revealed Simpson forged booking documentation purporting to be from major travel firms.

Trading standards and Hampshire Police received more than 90 complaints from Simpson's customers, who paid for holidays or events only for their bookings not to materialise in full or as described.

Simpson, of Portsmouth, who ran Sphere Events Limited between March 2019 and November 2022, pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent trading in February.

She was sentenced to 33 months in jail during a hearing held at Portsmouth Crown Court on Wednesday (6 May).

Financial and emotional distress

According to the council, Simpson relied on customers paying upfront in full for what they believed were discounted holidays. However, its investigation established these discounts did not exist and that the true cost of many bookings far exceeded the prices quoted.

Payments taken from new customers were then used to cover other debts, as well as her personal spending and lifestyle – including private school fees. "Simpson routinely failed to pay hotels, airlines, and event providers, leaving customers without valid bookings and often facing large last‑minute costs," said the council.

One client paid Simpson £37,000 for a family holiday to Barbados, while a couple paid her for a honeymoon to the Maldives, which was never booked. Others paid tens of thousands of pounds for luxury or once-in-a-lifetime trips.

Electronic devices seized during the investigation revealed a repeated pattern of falsified booking confirmations and financial documents, including forged bank statements used to falsely claim payments had been made to hotels, airlines and venues.

Simpson's victims described significant financial and emotional distress as a result of Simpson's offending, in some cases discovering while they were on holiday that their flights or accommodation had not been paid for, forcing them to make last-minute arrangements – and effectively having to pay twice.

'Serious breach of trust'

Lord Michael Bichard, Chair 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."

Speaking following Simpson's conviction in February, Portsmouth City Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Leisure, and Sport, Counsellor Lee Hunt, said: “This case represents a serious breach of trust and has caused significant financial and emotional harm to many individuals and families.

"Portsmouth Trading Standards has worked tirelessly to uncover the full extent of this fraud, and this guilty plea demonstrates that we will use the full weight of the law to bring justice to victims of these wicked crimes."

Portsmouth City Council will now pursue Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings with a view to compensating Simpson's victims.