Nearly a year after being ordered to pay back more than £12,000 to victims of a fraudulent scheme involving a fake wedding, Charlotte Blackwell has repaid only a fraction of the sum. Blackwell, 32, was sentenced in March 2025 to a suspended prison term and ordered to compensate four individuals a total of £13,750. She had previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
Blackwell's victims reported in October 2025 that they had collectively received just £25.45 each since the compensation order was issued seven months prior. Subsequent payments have amounted to an additional £15.30 per victim, with no further payments made in the four months preceding October 2025. The Ministry of Justice acknowledged the severity of the crimes, stating that "these were heartless crimes," but could not provide specific enforcement details.
Victims expressed frustration and a sense of helplessness, with one stating, "We've sort of given up because there's nowhere for us to turn. It feels like she's being protected rather than the victims."
The fraud involved Blackwell creating elaborate plans for a wedding in Turkey between 2022 and 2024. She solicited funds from members of the intended wedding party, including her then-fiancé's mother, Paula Thomas, who paid £3,296, and three of Thomas's friends: Helen Morse (£3,311), Sue Chapman (£3,272), and Tracey Roberts (£2,803). The total amount defrauded was £12,682. The judge ordered compensation amounts of £3,500 each for Thomas, Chapman, and Morse, and £3,250 for Roberts, to account for the "additional aggravation and distress" caused.
In addition to the compensation order, Blackwell received a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years, 120 hours of unpaid work, and a requirement to attend 30 days of rehabilitation activity. Her defense counsel indicated that Blackwell, employed full-time as an estate agent earning approximately £1,700 per month and also receiving universal credit, would be able to meet the compensation payments. However, by October 2025, Blackwell was also back in court after being fined for breaching her community service order.