Portsmouth woman pleads guilty to £280,000 holiday and events fraud

A Portsmouth woman has pleaded guilty to operating a fraudulent holiday and events business that left consumers about £280,000 out of pocket.

Shelley Simpson (46), of Westwood Road, Portsmouth, who ran Sphere Events Limited between 2019 and 2022, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court today (25 February) and admitted one count of fraudulent trading following a Portsmouth Trading Standards investigation supported by the National Trading Standards Tri Region Regional Investigations Team.

Portsmouth Trading Standards and Hampshire Police initially received over 90 complaints from consumers who had paid for holidays or events but either never received their bookings, were provided falsified documentation, or were left paying substantial additional costs for replacement flights and accommodation.

Electronic devices seized during the investigation also revealed multiple forged booking documents falsely presented as having been issued by major travel providers.

Councillor Lee Hunt, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Leisure, and Sport, said: “This case represents a serious breach of trust and has caused significant financial and emotional harm to many individuals and families. Portsmouth Trading Standards has worked tirelessly to uncover the full extent of this fraud, and this guilty plea demonstrates that we will use the full weight of the law to bring justice to victims of these wicked crimes”.

The approach taken by Simpson relied on customers paying in full upfront for what they believed were discounted holidays. The investigation established that these discounts did not exist and that the true cost of many bookings far exceeded the prices quoted.

Simpson routinely failed to pay hotels, airlines, and event providers, leaving customers without valid bookings and often facing large last‑minute costs.

A sentencing hearing will take place on 6 May, 2026.