Philip Foster jailed for nine years over £13.6m modelling fraud targeting families

Former Brookside actor Philip Foster has been jailed for nine years over a £13.6 million modelling fraud that exploited thousands of children and their families. He received an additional six-month sentence after being extradited from Spain, where he had fled before his trial, for trying to evade justice.

A National Trading Standards investigation found that more than 6,000 people were persuaded to pay for photography portfolios after being falsely told they had modelling potential and agency interest. Foster’s operation used sham agencies and studios across Britain; families were left with debt and poor-quality photographs, while virtually none of the victims secured paid modelling work. His barrister told the court that Foster’s wife had died of cancer and his son had been murdered, while the judge said he had used fraud proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle.