Couple claimed £6,000 for delayed train journeys they never made
A pair of cheating train passengers have narrowly avoided prison after claiming more than £6,000 for journey delays.
The pair avoid jail despite their massive fraud
Steven Martins, 49, and Nicole Phillips, 42, researched late trains online and used Southern Rail’s compensation service to rake in cash, pretending they were delayed passengers.
The pair, from Pulborough, West Sussex, were caught after they were seen on CCTV getting off one train while they claimed to have been on another.
The couple would research late trains online before pretending they were on them
PC Michael Stephenson said: “This was a carefully-organised and deliberate scam to defraud thousands of pounds from the railway industry. They aroused suspicion after submitting an unusually large number of claims.
They aroused suspicion after submitting an unusually large number of claims
“CCTV showed they had already made their journeys into London for work and hadn’t been on the delayed services. This was a scam to defraud thousands set aside for passengers genuinely inconvenienced by delays and disruption.”
Both pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation at Highbury Corner magistrates court in north London last month.
Martins was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £3,500 to Southern Rail and do 180 hours of unpaid work.
They Ordered to pay thousands of pounds back to the rail firm
Phillips was given 18 months jail, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to repay £2,600 and do 120 hours unpaid work.
Southern Railway’s Stella Morris said: “We welcome genuine claims for delays of 30 minutes or more.”