£5,000 worth of non-existent tickets sold

Sean Stevens offered tickets to music events including the Isle of Wight Festival on the Gumtree website and took buyers’ money without ever having the tickets.

The 24-year-old was given a suspended jail term at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after admitting six counts of fraud and asking for 16 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

In total, Stevens, of Cleveley Road, Enstone, conned music fans out of £4,980 between May and September last year.

Only 15 months ago he was given a community order after admitting another seven counts of fraud relating to similar scams.

Jennifer Edwards, prosecuting, said: “Effectively each of the offences and those taken into consideration involve the same type of wrongdoing, which is that he falsely, on this website peculiarly called Gumtree, offered tickets for sale which he never had.”

Miss Edwards said Stevens, who also has previous convictions for battery and disorderly behaviour, was arrested in January and made “full and frank admissions” in police interviews.

She added: “Nobody got their tickets, there were no tickets to be had from this gentleman, but some of them got some money back.”

Judge Tom Corrie said he was satisfied £590 had been paid back by Stevens.

Jessica Russell-Mitra, defending, said of the offending: “It was indicative of the period he was going through – an 18-month period of what appears to be quite significant depression.

“He felt he could only live short term, all he could see in front of him was his debts.”

She added: “At the time he was taking recreational cocaine. He didn’t feel there was anything else for him to do with his life.”

Miss Russell-Mitra said Stevens, who left school at 16, had since gained entry to an undergraduate course to study journalism.

Judge Corrie said Stevens’ dishonesty had caused “a number of people distress and inconvenience”. He added: “It’s time you grew up and took responsibility for yourself.”

He said the defendant “should go to prison immediately” but added: “I have just, on the balance, been persuaded not to send you to prison now.”

Stevens was given a four-month jail term, suspended for two years. He was also handed 12 months’ supervision and told to attend the Thinking Skills and Right With Money programmes.

The court heard it was unclear whether or not all victims would get their money back. Miss Russell-Mitra said her client had been trying to pay back the buyers but had had his bank account frozen.

Judge Corrie said did not order a costs or compensation requirement as he said the defendant had no money available.