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Fraudster's Sentence Slashed: Gambling Addiction Cited
8 Oct
Summary
- Fraudster's jail term reduced to two years by Court of Appeal.
- Gambling addiction cited as a mitigating factor for the crime.
- Over 30 victims lost over £77,000 in rental deposit scams.
A fraudster who defrauded over 30 tenants out of more than £77,000 in London has had his prison sentence reduced. Freddie Priestley, 34, originally sentenced to 35 months in June, will now serve two years after a successful appeal. The Court of Appeal acknowledged his gambling addiction as a mitigating factor that provided an explanation for his offenses, though it did not excuse them.
Priestley falsely advertised a flat for rent on Facebook, collecting deposit and rent payments. During the appeal, his defense argued that the sentencing judge did not sufficiently account for his addiction. While the court conceded this point, it emphasized that custody was appropriate given the impact on victims, some of whom were overseas students and one who used cancer savings.
