Internet Scammer Poppy Eastwood To Pay Less Compensation To Victims

The amount of compensation notorious internet fraudster Poppy Eastwood has to pay her victims was reduced yesterday.

The 24 year-old, of Pike Close, Bromley will only have to pay at the rate of £20 per week and some of her six victims will receive a reduced amount.

She conned online buyers into forking out for equestrian equipment she never supplied and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months.

She lied to customers that she was selling her horse riding tack because she was suffering multiple sclerosis.

Eastwood pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud by false representation and one count of acquiring criminal property.

Croydon Crown Court originally ordered her to repay her victims £2,403 compensation, according to the Metropolitan Police.

There was some confusion about that figure with the Crown Prosecution Service believing it was £8.00 less, but yesterday a new £2,000 compensation figure was agreed.

This was after defence team asked the court to reconsider compensation.

Prosecutor Mr. Hamish Reid told the court: “This was a carefully planned sophisticated fraud. She has a history and may consider herself fortunate not to have received immediate custody.

“The compensation is not a ridiculously high amount. She should have thought of that before committing these offences. Why should she profit from her crime?

“She denied the offences in her police interview and indicated a not guilty plea at the magistrates court.

“The pre-sentence report casts doubt on her version of events, being pressured by a partner. You may find it difficult to believe anything she says.”

Recorder DCH Cartwright announced: “She has a significant record of burglary, theft, false representation. These offences were carefully planned and of a particularly mean nature.

“Preying on others in the equine world she was fortunate not to receive an immediate custodial sentence.

“Whatever we believe about the crimes it is someone involved in criminal activity over a period of time.

“She's an intelligent woman and there is no reason she should not achieve remunerative employment.”

In 2014 Eastwood was convicted of selling iPads that never arrived to facebook customers and the website has a group with 4,000 followers called: 'Scammed by Poppy Eastwood.'

During the course of the police investigation, officers from Operation Falcon, the Met’s Cyber Crime unit, found 46 victims who had attempted to purchase horse related items from Eastwood at a number of online market places between 20 January 2014 and 13 November 2014.

Eastwood would discuss possible transactions with potential customers prior to a deal being struck.

During a number of these conversations she falsely claimed to be selling the riding equipment because she was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

Typically, the victim would transfer the funds to purchase the item and await receipt of the goods.

However, they never received the goods leaving them out of pocket.

Eastwood would initially make excuses for non-receipt of the goods but would eventually cease all contact with the victim.

Detective Constable Stephen Westlake of Operation Falcon said: “'Eastwood has defrauded a large number of online buyers who believed that they were dealing with a genuine seller.

“She has also pretended to suffer from a life changing illness to gain the trust of her victims.

“The effects of becoming a victim of crime run far deeper than the loss of cash. I hope that Eastwood’s victims gain a measure of closure following today’s sentence."