19 - 25 October 2017
MALLORCA
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
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ISSUE NO. 1685
JAILED: Disgraced couple first to pay for fake claims.
Disgraced Brits jailed over sickness scam
By Matthew Elliott A British couple who made fake sickness claims against a Mallorca hotel have been jailed. The landmark case saw Deborah Briton, 53, and her partner Paul Roberts, 43, convicted on multiple counts of fraud by Liverpool Crown Court. They are the first Brits to be jailed amid a growing holiday sickness scandal that saw Mallorca hotels forced to pay out €50 million last year. The couple boasted online about their holidays on the island packed with ‘sun, laughter and fun.’ But they both wept as Judge David Aubrey sentenced Briton to nine months in prison, and Roberts to 15 months. He described their claim as a “complete and utter sham.” The pair tried to claim more than €20,000 for fake gastric illnesses after two stays at the Globales America hotel in 2015 and 2016.
Their action was brought against travel operator Thomas Cook. If successful some €30,000 in legal fees would also have to be paid. Travel operators typically recoup all losses directly from the hotel. Roberts was inspired to make the claims following a ‘conversation in the pub,’ said his lawyer. He left convinced that they wouldn’t be detected. But their social media boasts about how ‘fab’ their holidays were directly contradicted later claims that their time in Mallorca was ‘ruined.’ A Thomas Cook spokesman said: “The sentences handed down today demonstrate how serious the issue of fraudulent illness claims has become.” Foreign secretary Boris Johnson has previously spoken on the scandal, saying “These claims make it more expensive for Brits to go abroad. They should not have to shoulder the inevitable rising costs of bogus accusations made by a small minority.”
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Black X protest A LARGE black letter ‘X’ was painted on the door of four young Valencians who share a home together in Palma. The ominous graffiti came after they hung a Valencian flag from the balcony with a pro-independence message. They have since raised a complaint with the police, claiming that they and other neighbours felt intimidated. The pro-Valencian independence message was put out amid the furore over C a t a l u ñ a ’s separation angst. The young activists also distributed literature around the apartment
German man found dead A 50-YEAR-OLD man has been found dead after reportedly suffering a head trauma. The German national’s body was found lying on the floor of his house on Calle Trasime in Palatja de Palma. Emergency services were called after a large pool of blood was noticed spilling under the door of a building. It was reported he may have fallen down the stairs.
building promoting indep e n d e n c e f o r Va l e n c i a which, like Cataluña, has a distinct culture from Castilian Spain. After the huge ‘X’ was m ar ked on t he door, t hey put notices up in the lift and corridors to inform neighbours as to what happened. The next day they were all torn down. When more were put up, someone took them down and set them alight in the corridor. Though preferring to remain anonymous, the foursome have told local media that they denounced the vandals “for attacking people for ideological reasons.”