Robust message to those thinking about hols fraud

THIS pair of holiday sickness scammers have copped it by the bucket-and-spadeful.

It’s unfortunate when a mum and dad are sent down but their misfortune is entirely of their own making.

Trying to con Thomas Cook into paying a false claim of almost £20,000 for their

Majorca trips is out-and-out fraud — and the judge has sent a robust signal to anyone else thinking about trying it on.

No doubt chatting with their pals over a few pints in a bar, it sounded a great idea to screw the company for thousands.

Well, they are behind bars now and I bet their mates have got the message.

The current tsunami of bogus illness claims — Britain is dubbed the “sick man of Europe” by the overseas hotel trade — costs the industry tens of millions of pounds a year and could put up prices for honest holidaymakers.

Of course, sometimes things do go wrong on a getaway and there are legitimate channels for pursuing genuine claims.

But for now, let’s hope this very heavy sentence for this pair makes anyone considering a fake claim think twice.