Deceitful duo are spared jail after car company con
Deceitful husband and wife duo Casey Chappell, 25, and Natalie Chappell 27, ran Guaranteed Car Ltd – an unlicensed rental company in Portsmouth.
The pair deliberately targeted people with poor credit backgrounds or low incomes and duped them into believing they were buying a car on finance.
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Hide AdTheir victims were only renting the cars and when they could no longer afford them the Chappells began a series of ‘highly aggressive’ and ‘hostile communications’ before seizing the vehicles and profiting the cash.
Yet despite their actions, the dishonest duo were able to walk free of the docks – a move with infuriated victim Claire Bagshaw, of Worcester.
She said: ‘They’re scum and I’m disappointed they haven’t been jailed.’
The couple’s actions took place from September 2014 to February 2015.
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Hide AdProsecutor Oliver Wellings told the court how the ‘core purpose’ of the company was to offer financial services.
But he said neither of them had authorisation to provide such a service.
‘The purpose of the company was to defraud consumers,’ he added.
Kelly Lamont, of Keyhaven Drive, Leigh Park, was one of those targeted.
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Hide AdThe mum-of-two approached them after seeing a Renault Megane advertised for sale and agreed to a hire-purchase deal, paying weekly instalments of £32.
But when the terms and conditions came through, there was no mention of the hire-purchase. When she chased them for answers, Casey Chappell told her the car was being seized.
Mr Wellings said: ‘There were a series of highly aggressive and hostile communications from Mr Chappell via Facebook.’
It was a similar situation for Mrs Bagshaw, whose car was also wrongly repossessed by the pair.
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Hide AdCasey Chappell, of Langley Road, Portsmouth, admitted a count of fraud by false representation, engaging in aggressive commercial practice and running a business with intent to defraud.
He was sentenced to 42 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, 100 hours of unpaid community work and ordered to pay £1,428.46 in compensation.
Natalie Chappell, of Lovedean Lane, Waterlooville, admitted one count of fraud by false representation and running a business with intent to defraud.
She was handed a 36-week prison sentence, suspended for 15 months, 80 hours of unpaid work, and was also ordered to pay £1,428.46 in compensation.
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Hide AdCouncillor Rob New, of Portsmouth City Council’s cabinet member for regulatory services was delighted with the result.
He said: ‘This is a warning to individuals or businesses running fraudulent operations that we will take action against them.’