A former travel company director who defrauded dozens of customers out of nearly £300,000 through fake luxury holiday bookings has been sentenced to prison. Shelley Simpson, 46, operated Portsmouth-based Sphere Events Limited between 2019 and 2022, promising discounted rates on premium holidays, flights, and exclusive events. However, prosecutors revealed that many of these bookings either never existed or were never paid for, leaving families with cancelled trips and significant financial losses.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Portsmouth Crown Court heard that 47 customers were affected by the fraud, with complaints submitted to Hampshire Police and Portsmouth Trading Standards. On Wednesday, Simpson was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison after admitting fraudulent trading. She was also banned from serving as a company director for eight years. Judge William Ashworth described her actions as a prolonged “dance of deception,” noting her “relentless” lying demonstrated a “callous disregard” for the distress caused to victims.
Modus Operandi
The court heard that Simpson regularly reassured customers that their money was safe, claiming access to exclusive discounts through industry contacts. In one instance, she told a client she could arrange reduced rates at the Ritz Hotel because she supposedly knew the manager. However, the business operated similarly to a Ponzi scheme, using money from new customers to cover older debts rather than paying for genuine bookings.
One victim, Jodie Stallard, transferred over £37,000 for a Barbados family holiday and additional excursions after Simpson assured her the trip was arranged. The court later learned the holiday was never booked, despite confirmation messages allegedly sent to reassure the family. Prosecutor Duncan Milne stated that Simpson fabricated booking confirmations and altered documents to convince customers their trips were secured.
Misuse of Funds
Customer money was often diverted elsewhere, including towards private school fees for Simpson’s children, who attended a school costing around £18,000 annually. Investigators also discovered that Simpson searched online for “Prison for fraud” before her arrest in November 2022. Police noted renovation work at her property during the investigation. The court heard Simpson had a prior caution in 2016 for transferring £4,500 from the school where she worked as an office manager into a personal account.
Defense and Remorse
Defense lawyer Robert Bryan argued that Simpson was not funding a lavish lifestyle but became trapped in a cycle of using new payments to cover old commitments. “She was robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he said, adding that she appeared to gain satisfaction from organizing experiences for others. Bryan also noted that Simpson, who has bipolar disorder, showed remorse for her actions. Around 20 victims were present in court during the sentencing.
