"Greedy" Jersey influencer scammed vulnerable man out of £10,000

Sunday 23 June 2024

A "heartless" Jersey influencer who asked a vulnerable man to be her "sugar daddy" and told him “wicked lies” – including claiming that her mother had died – has been jailed for scamming him out of thousands.

Hannah Louise Hill (27) – who has nearly 20,000 followers on both TikTok and Instagram and posted photographs of her enjoying drinks at the Beach Club in St Brelade less than 24 hours before her sentencing today – scammed the man over a six-month period in what Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae described as a “mean, manipulative, heartless and greedy” crime which had to be met with a prison sentence.

Her victim used up his savings and for two weeks fell behind with his rent, the Royal Court heard.

"Want to be my sugar daddy?"

Crown Advocate Lauren Taylor, prosecuting, said that Hill first made contact with the 36-year-old man, who has autism, via Instagram and asked him: “Want to be my sugar daddy?”

She offered to send him pictures and videos of herself in return for money.

“He sent her £200 but the defendant said she had never received it and he sent another £200,” Advocate Taylor said.

“But the money had been received into her bank account."

"Her mother was never unwell"

She added: “The defendant told the victim that her mother was receiving medical treatment in the UK and she needed money to travel to visit her.”

Later Hill claimed that her mother had died of cancer and said she needed more money to attend her funeral in Scotland and pay for lawyers dealing with the sale of her mother’s house.

She said she would repay him once the house was sold, telling him: “Promise 100% you’ll get the money back.”

But Advocate Taylor said: “Her mother was never unwell, was not receiving treatment in the UK, and is not dead.”

Between March and September last year the victim handed over a total of £9,353.

"She built up trust"

Advocate Taylor said the victim’s sister became suspicious, discovered on Facebook that Hill’s mother was alive, and contacted the police.

Hill’s dishonesty represented a “betrayal of trust and emotional manipulation”, according to the prosecutor, who added: “She built up trust and almost immediately started to take advantage of him.

“The Crown cannot find any exceptional mitigation. A custodial sentence is the only appropriate sentence.”

She recommended 18 months’ imprisonment.

"She is deeply ashamed"

Advocate Mike Preston, defending, argued for a community service order instead.

He pointed out that Hill’s parents had lent her the money to pay the victim back in full, and if she remained out of prison she could earn the money to repay their loan.

And he said: “She is deeply ashamed and genuinely sorry for her actions. She cannot really understand why she behaved in this way.”

He also pointed out that she had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty at her first appearance in the Magistrate’s Court, and was considered at low risk of reconviction.

"The victim was credulous and vulnerable"

Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae told Hill that the Jurats were taking those factors into account, but said: “The victim was credulous and vulnerable. The Crown said this was a despicable crime. We agree.

“It was mean, manipulative, heartless and greedy. Only a custodial sentence can be justified.”

She was given a total of 10 months imprisonment.

The Jurats sitting were Karen Le Cornu and Michael Berry.

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