A Brighton man who sold Reading Festival tickets which didn’t exist on Facebook has been ordered to pay more than £1,000 in compensation.
Daniel Fitzgerald, 22, of Blackman Street, Brighton, scammed a string of unwilling customers who handed over money for tickets before he blocked them.
The first scam happened on 23 April, 2018 when he told Michael West he had a set of BMX wheels for sale for £150.
Then on 11 August, he told Richard Treadwell he had an SW4 Festival ticket for sale for £30.
The Reading Festival tickets went on sale the same month. Natalie Evans attempted to buy three for £200, Kate Brayne tried to buy one for £160 and Rebecca Mackie and Elizebeth Barber both tried to buy several for £340.
All but Kate Brayne handed over the money before being blocked.
Police were alerted to Fitzgerald’s fraudulent activity by Action Fraud after victims came forward reporting the same suspect.
Fitzgerald initially denied all six charges, pleading not guilty at Brighton Magistrates Court on October 31.
However, he failed to turn up for his next hearing on November 28.
By the time he finally turned up for trial, on 9 January, he decided to change his plea to guilty, and was given a community order.
This includes ten rehabilitation sessions and a six-week 9pm to midnight curfew.
