Con woman’s chance to pay cash back

Awomanwhoconnedfamilies intoputtingdowndepositsfor caravan holidays which didn’t exist is being given a chance to pay the money back to her victims.

June Thompson pleaded guilty to 16 counts of fraud after she set up a fake website, which she promoted on Facebook, advertising caravan breaks at Crimdon Dene and FlamingoLand,inNorthYorkshire.

In total, greedy Thompson raked in £3,360 from the con, whichwasuncoveredlastyear.

She had also taken bookings promising to cater for a number of parties and deliver goods, such as a £400 sofa, to customers.

However once the bookings were taken, she disappeared and was unable to cater for the events as she had promised.

In a hearing at Teesside Crown Court, Thompson sobbed throughout in the dock when the charges were put to her.

Judge Stephen Ashurst warnedheralloptionsincluding custody would be considered in a pre-sentence report by the probation service.

Thompson, of Burdon Crescent, in Seaham, has had her sentence deferred for six months to allow her to pay back all of the cash.

Her victims have now spokenabouttheirordealandsay they hope to recover the money they paid.

Hartlepool mum Kelly Athey paid £340 to Thompson for a week-long caravan trip to Flamingo land, in North Yorkshire, last July for her, her husband Dean, 47, and her children Kyle Clark, 19, Callum Clark, 13, and Con- nor Athey, six. However, after contactingthethemeparkand zoo, she was shocked to find there was no caravan booked.

“Everybody makes mistakes and the fact that she is being made to pay the money back is good enough for me,” said Mrs Athey, 44, of Rift House.

Mrs Athey added: “This should make people aware of buying things on Facebook as I’m certainly not as gullible as I was.

“We weren’t able to go anywhere on holiday last year because of what happened, and now I just hope we get something back.”

Irene Groom, 50, of Westbourne Road, had paid £250 for Thompson to cater for a party, which in the end she failed to do.

“Thepeopleaffectednever gotanythingbackfromthis,so I’m glad she has got what she deserves,”saidMrsGroom,50.

“Kids and their parents missedoutonholidayssothey need to get something back from what she did.”

Thompson is due back at TeessideCrownCourtforsentencing on August 3.

The fake website took money for Flamingo Land breaks which didn’t exist.

Kelly Athey, left, and Irene Groom, who both paid for services from June Thompson which they never received.