1ST BRITS ON HOLIDAY BUG COMPO RAP
£52k Mallorca trip claim Mad trip Monday
A FAMILY has become the first to appear in court accused of lying about being ill on holiday to claim compensation.
Deborah Briton, 53, and partner Paul Roberts, 43, are said to have lodged bogus claims with Thomas Cook to try to win £52,000.
The family went on an all-inclusive trip to Mallorca, it emerged during the first Credit: SWNS by Oliver Pritchard A PENSIONER has de clared his house an inde
pendent republic to avoid preliminary court hearing of its kind in Brexit. Britain. Dr William Riches, 77, has
Briton’s daughter Charlene, 30, is also made his wife Judith the said to have put in a false claim for both president and given his her and her young daughter. children and grandchildren
The trio pleaded not guilty to six counts citizenship of the new state of fraud. If convicted they could face up - called the Independent Reto six years in jail. public of Middlewatch. Sam Brown, prosecuting, said the fraud Anyone without official totalled £52,000 and the Middlewatch passports will claims put forward by David have to buy a visa costing at Norman Solicitors were for least £50 when Britain food poisoning. leaves the EU.
District Judge Andrew The retired university Shaw told the defendants, professor has named the refrom Wallasey, Merseyside, public after his three-storey he would be referring the village home in Newnham, case to crown court for trial Glos. and deemed the allegations A poster in his window to be a “sophisticated fraud reads: “The Independent with a relatively high value Republic of Middlewatch. of money claimed”. This Republic is a proud member of the European Union. The case was adjourned “All non-EU residents for a pre-trial hearing on wishing to visit the RepubAugust 10. lic must have a valid UK
The three were given unpassport.” conditional bail at LiverDr Riches has taken the pool Magistrates’ Court. extreme stance because he
Thomas Cook has already believes England will be battled a civil claim for relegating itself to just a £10,000 compensation from “little island” when Article Julie Lavelle and her part50 is triggered. ner Michael McIntyre after He said: “I am a staunch a court branded them as Remainer and cannot see a “fundamentally dishonest”. future for this country now.
Surging numbers of “All our literature, all our claims have been made art, all our culture, all our against travel operators. history is intertwined with
On average the payout Europe so the idea that we stands at £2,000 as the only are not part of Europe, that evidence needed is a receipt we are some small but sigfrom a pharmacist. nificant little island, just
Claims management comannoyed me so much I had panies have led the rise in to do something. compensation bids after “I was so mad after the they moved into the travel vote to leave that I decided market following a clampto put the signs up and dedown on whiplash payouts. clare my home an inde
Travel industry body Abta pendent republic. said the rise in sickness “I feel very strongly that claims was costing the the wishes of the 48% of us Spanish hotel industry over who voted Remain are be£50million a year. ing totally ignored so this is the only way I have left to protest.
“If I could declare us a republic and join Europe I probably would. Maybe I’ll look into it.”
Dr Riches has taken on the role of Vice President of the Republic and revealed he fears his family, who live across the globe, TODAY is set to be the busiwill suffer after Brexit. est day of the year for bookHe said: “I don’t undering trips across the globe. stand why the older genera
Travel site Hostelworld tion voted against their says most deals are done children. between 8pm and 9pm on a “And I’d bet that the maMonday in July. jority of people in England,
In years where there is no Ireland, Scotland and Wales major sporting event such as would not be able to pass the World Cup, it tends to the citizenship exam that land on the third Monday. people have to take now.”
The travel site’s Marek ENDS Mossakowski said: “It is the perfect way to beat the Monday blues.”