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Fraudster who scammed London renters has jail term cut
Overview
Freddie Priestley, a 34-year-old fraudster who stole more than £77,000 from over 30 would-be tenants by falsely advertising a flat in Bermondsey, London, has had his prison sentence reduced from 35 months to two years by the Court of Appeal. The appeal judges ruled that insufficient allowance had been made for mitigating features, specifically his severe gambling addiction, though they declined to suspend the sentence.
Key points
- Freddie Priestley admitted to fraud by false representation after stealing over £77,000 from more than 30 prospective tenants using a fake flat rental advertisement on Facebook.
- He was originally sentenced to 35 months in prison in June following a BBC investigation.
- The Court of Appeal reduced his sentence by 11 months to two years, noting that the original sentencing judge made insufficient allowance for his gambling addiction.
- The appeal judges ruled that the reduced sentence should not be suspended, stating that custody remained appropriate.
- Victims of the scam included overseas students and a cancer patient who had to resort to sofa-surfing.