AN ORPINGTON fraudster who flogged non-existent iPads has been sentenced to a community order today (Feb 21) although it is feared she could have scammed thousands more.

Poppy Eastwood, aged 22, of Lovibonds Avenue, was in Bromley Magistrates’ Court after defrauding unsuspecting buyers over the internet as well as making off without paying for fuel twice – nine other similar offences of fleeing from a petrol were presented to the court to be taken into consideration.

A Facebook group called Scammed by Poppy Eastwood has more than 2,600 members.

News Shopper has received a number of phone calls from people saying they were scammed by her, when she’s been operating under aliases, through paying money for non-existent goods advertised on the internet.

Her court case related to two times in June last year when Eastwood dishonestly advertised two iPads for £270 and £300, having earlier made off without paying for petrol at the Texaco service station in Farnborough on May 25.

News Shopper: She must complete 300 hours of community service

'I was in a really bad way at the time'

Prosecutor Clare Carey said: “She advertised the items on Facebook and texted the claimants saying not to use payment options such as Paypal.

“When the first claimant visited the address to collect the item she was told by the person there, Miss Eastwood’s mother, that she knew nothing about an iPad being for sale and she didn’t know where her daughter was.

“The second claimant was told to pick up the iPad from an address and when he visited was told the family living there had moved out the day before.”

Eastwood, who has bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression, has until recently been staying at her mother’s address in Rhododendron Avenue, Meopham.

Nigel Riley, mitigating, said: “She was in a relationship at the time with a man, Robert Burke, who had drug and alcohol issues and has served a sentence.

News Shopper: Scammed by Poppy Eastwood Facebook group has around 2,600 members

“She has accepted she was not under duress but she clearly felt undermined and intimidated.

“She has also had accommodation problems and mental health issues for which she is receiving treatment, she’s not working and is currently receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

“These matters are accepted and she has written a form saying ‘I am really sorry for what I done, I was in a really bad way at the time.’

“She has one previous conviction of burglary from 2010 for which she received a community order.”

'You've undermined the entire system'

District judge Michael Fanning said: “Social media sales sites are increasingly important and you have undermined the entire system and people’s trust very seriously.

“You driving off from a petrol station is serious, perhaps more serious because you indicated you were going to pay and later said you had forgot. This number of petrol stations is more than forgetfulness, it is fundamental dishonesty.

“There has been intense interest from the local media in this case and there have been communications made to me which say I should consider a more serious sentence in light of other offences she may have committed.

“If there was more evidence the police would have shown that to the court and they haven’t.

“I am ordering 120 hours of unpaid community work for each offence.

News Shopper: Orpington scammer Poppy Eastwood gets community sentence"

"This is the maximum I can impose for these offences – the next step is prison. If you don’t comply with the community work you can expect to go to prison.

“I also believe you should pay £300 compensation to these two people as they were left out of pocket and I see no reason why you should not repay them.”

She was also ordered to repay the 11 petrol stations from which she had driven off without paying.

The court calculated the costs to be £1,067. She was also given an ordered to do another 60 hours of unpaid work for this offence, making a total of 300 hours.

She appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on January 31 where she pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and one count of theft.

Intimidating

The shameful behaviour did not end with Eastwood’s sentencing today.

News Shopper’s reporter was chased by Eastwood and a friend of hers down Bromley High Street after the court hearing. The reporter was forced to run into a nail salon after which the pair followed her in and were extremely aggressive.

They said: "We will take photos of you and put them up on the internet saying you are a drug dealer."

We have also received threatening calls since the sentencing.

Public fury

News Shopper has been contacted by many people who say they have also been scammed by her in the same way and are unable to recover the money through their banks.

Linda Hughes, (below) 41, of New Road, South Darenth, said she was scammed over horse equipment.

News Shopper: Linda Hughes said she was conned over a horse rug

She said: “I lost money on horse rugs after responding to an advert on the internet.

“It destroys your trust in people. It is crazy how she has been allowed to get away with this.

“My bank is refusing to give me back the money.

“It was only £31 from me but cumulatively it sounds like she’s scammed around £12,000 from people over the last 18 months.

“I’m normally a good judge of character, she sounded so genuine.” 

Liz Newman, 64, from Aberystwyth, allegedly lost £120 on an iPad.

She said: “I’m an elderly pensioner. I feel really stupid now but you don’t these adverts are going to be fake.”

Jacqueline Sloan, (below) 28, from Glasgow, said she is “sickened” by the experience.

News Shopper: Jacqueline Sloan said she is 'sickened' by the scam

She told News Shopper: “I lost £90 after trying to buy horse rugs.

“She was so convincing. I’m just sickened by it.

"She even said she was sick of people getting conned over the internet. I even ended up telling how I much earned because I was trying to explain why I couldn’t afford to pay much.”