Portsmouth woman jailed for £280,000 holiday maker fraud

A woman has been jailed for running a Ponzi‑style holiday fraud in Portsmouth that left people almost £300,000 out of pocket.

Shelley Simpson, 46, of Westwood Road, Portsmouth, ran Sphere Events Limited between March 2019 and November 2022, taking customers’ money while pretending to make holiday and event bookings. It left many victims having to pay much more to rescue their trips or lose their money altogether.

Simpson had pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent trading at an earlier hearing, and appearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on Wednesday 6 May, she was given an immediate 33-month custodial sentence.

It followed a lengthy and complex investigation by Portsmouth City Council's trading standards, supported by the National Trading Standards Tri Region Investigations Team.

Portsmouth trading standards and Hampshire Police initially received more than 90 complaints from consumers who had paid for holidays or events but either never received their bookings, were provided with falsified documentation, or were left paying substantial additional costs for replacement flights and accommodation.

The court heard that Simpson relied on customers paying in full upfront for what they believed were discounted holidays. In reality, these discounts did not exist, and payments taken from new customers were used to cover other debts and her personal spending, including private school fees.

Electronic devices seized during the trading standards 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.

Victims described significant financial and emotional distress as a result of Simpson's actions. In some cases, families discovered while already on holiday that flights or accommodation had not been paid for, forcing them to make last‑minute arrangements at substantial personal cost and, in effect, paying twice for their holiday.

Others paid tens of thousands of pounds for luxury or once‑in‑a‑lifetime trips, including honeymoons, which were never booked at all.

One customer paid £37,000 for a luxury family holiday to Barbados. Simpson never made the booking and used the money to pay off business debts. Another couple paid for a honeymoon to the Maldives which was never booked.

Evidence heard by the court highlighted the scale of the harm caused, with customers and businesses left out of pocket and facing anxiety, disruption and uncertainty as a result of Simpson’s deception.

Portsmouth City Council will now pursue 'Proceeds of Crime Act' proceedings with a view to compensating the many victims in this case.

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 on 0808 223 1133.”