Former Brookside Actor Jailed for Nine Years Over £13.6 Million Fraud

A former actor from the British soap opera Brookside has been sentenced to nine years in prison for orchestrating a £13.6 million fraud that targeted thousands of aspiring child models and their parents. Philip Foster, 51, who also used the stage name Philip Dowd, was initially jailed in his absence in February 2025 for eight-and-a-half years for fraud and money laundering but evaded justice by fleeing to Spain.

Foster was extradited last month and appeared at Sheffield Crown Court, where he received an additional six months for attempting to evade justice. He operated a network of sham modeling agencies and photography studios across Britain, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry, and Nottingham, through a group of associates based in England.

The National Trading Standards (NTS) investigation revealed that over 6,000 victims collectively paid large sums of money, believing they were securing paid modeling work. Victims responded to social media advertisements and were led to believe agencies were interested in them. They were then invited to a "free" test shoot at a photographic studio, which served as a means to extort money. During these sessions, they were presented with glossy brochures and told about the success of others.

Victims were informed they had passed their studio test and that modeling agencies were interested, but they needed to purchase a portfolio from the studio to join an agency. Many were coerced into financing these upfront payments through credit deals or expensive payday loans. The portfolios provided were often of poor quality digital photographs, and virtually none of the victims secured any paid modeling work, leaving families in financial ruin and young aspiring models emotionally devastated.

While Foster was on the run, his wife died of cancer, and his son Michael was murdered around Christmas of the previous year. His defense counsel, Anthony Barraclough, noted that Foster had experienced a great deal of personal tragedy but acknowledged he remained an absconder.

Judge David Dixon criticized Foster, stating he was a "coward" for hiding and not facing the consequences, especially when his co-accused had already appeared in court. The judge noted that Foster had maintained a lavish lifestyle, purchasing designer watches, photographs on yachts, and a Porsche for his daughter, funded by the proceeds of the illegal scheme.

Eight of Foster's accomplices were also sentenced last year. Michael Foster, 27, of Liverpool, received three-and-a-half years for conspiracy to defraud. Paul Evans, 39, of no known address, received the same sentence for money laundering offenses. Jamie Peters, 52, of Warrington, was given a 24-month suspended sentence for conspiracy to defraud, while Lisa Foster, 42, of Astley, received an 18-month suspended sentence for the same charge. Emily Newall, 29, of Kearsley, Greater Manchester, and Atif Qadar, 44, of Crowthorne, were each sentenced to 10 and 12 months, suspended for 12 months respectively, after being found guilty of conspiracy to defraud. Paul Fleury, 57, of Swinton, Manchester, was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud. Aslihan Foster, 39, of Coventry, received an 18-month suspended sentence for money laundering.