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A WOMAN sold items including a pair of Dr. Marten boots on Facebook Marketplace, took the money, but failed to post the goods off to the buyers, heard Skipton Magistrates Court.
Alexandra Squires, 20, of Skipton, blamed Royal Mail when buyers contacted her to ask why the goods had not arrived, the court heard today (Friday).
She was found out after one buyer who had spent £100 on an item and had not received it, or had her money returned, despite contacting Squires several times, contacted the police.
The same buyer found feedback on the social media platform from another of Squires’ customers who had had a similar experience and told police about that too.
The court heard a third buyer had also bought an item for £30 and had neither received it or a refund, but that had not resulted in a charge.
Squires was initially offered the opportunity by police to resolve the situation without having to go to court, with a ‘community resolution’ by paying back the money.
But she repeatedly passed deadlines and although she eventually repaid two of her victims, one, more than two months later, was still owed £100.
In a statement read out in court, one of her victims said at the time she had been at a low ebb. It had been the anniversary of her sister’s death, and she had been off work sick. She had decided to treat herself and had spent £65 on buying the item from Squires.
She had struggled to communicate with Squires about her purchase, and there had been ‘empty promises’. She would not wish Squires behaviour on anyone else, the court heard.
Squires,who admitted two counts of fraud by false representation on April 7 and on April 28, was of previous good character, the court heard.
In mitigation, Ansar Khan said Squires had never been in trouble with the police and had told him she had not even received a detention while at school.
He said she had written apologies to all her victims and had tried to get the money to refund them, but had struggled after facing being evicted from her home. He added Squires had not set out to defraud anyone, but had ‘buried her head in the sand’.
The court heard she was living with her partner, and was in the process of setting up a bakery business.
Magistrates told Squires, of Pembroke Street, she had lost her good character. They hoped her appearance in court had been a ‘huge wake up call’ and that she realised the gravity of the charges.
She was sentenced to a nine month community order with up to 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
She will also have to pay £100 compensation to one of her victims, and £50 to a second for the amount of distress she had caused. She will also have to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £95.
