Fraudster avoids jail after elaborate lies to dodge Lake District bills
Sarah Louise Green's claims of illness and family deaths enabled accommodation stays without payment
A fraudster who stated she had cancer and claimed her uncle had been killed in a motorbike crash as she repeatedly failed to pay for Lake District overnight stays has been spared immediate prison.
Sarah Louise Green, aged 44, also reported that her grandparents had died as she spun a “tapestry of lies” to dupe three people who ran holiday accommodation out of several thousand pounds.
Green initially made a same-day single night booking for a property in the Windermere area through AirBnB on 17th September, 2024. She told the owner that reservation was for her parents and then made a block booking.
Prosecutor Lucy Todd told Carlisle Crown Court: “The defendant proceeded to inform (the owner) that she had been controlled by her husband and she is an abused woman trying to rebuild her life.”
As the parties switched contact to private messages, prices were agreed as Green made more bookings before staying herself at the same property. Information provided by Green prompted the woman to feel “deep sympathy”.
Green ran up a £5,580 bill up to 22nd Novemberand, when declaring herself unable to pay, she suggested an invoice be sent to her parents.
A later phone message, purportedly from Green’s father, stated that cash had “left our bank”, and added: “My daughter is dying and I’ve sent the money.”
Ms Todd told the court: “The defendant continued to advise (the owner) that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment. In addition she advised that her grandparents had died. The defendant would cry on the phone to (the woman) as she advised of her circumstances.”
In an impact statement, the woman said: “I am completely broke now and I am struggling to pay bills. This has affected my mental health and caused no end of worry. I am struggling to sleep due to stress and constant thoughts of how I can keep a roof over my family’s head.”
The woman estimated her total financial loss to be around £38,000 due to online calendars being blocked, and said Green had known of a tragedy in her family when she carried out the fraud. “The financial loss was great, but the emotional strain and worry was greater,” she also stated.
From Windermere, Green headed to a B&B at Ambleside, failing to pay £2,100 as she stayed between 22nd November and 21st December. “On 6th December, the manager received an email from the defendant stating that her uncle had been killed in a motorbike accident and that she would pay him for her stay as soon as possible,” said Ms Todd.
Green, of Bank House, Hawkshead, was interviewed by police and released on bail. But between late March and early April, 2025, she stayed at a Grasmere hotel, failing to pay a £576.80 bill.
She admitted obtaining services dishonestly and failing to attend a February crown court hearing.
Defence lawyer Andrew Gurney told her sentencing hearing that her mitigation centred on early guilty pleas and her being the primary carer for her daughter.
“There is no doubt some deep-seated why Miss Green has fabricated this tapestry of lies,” said Mr Gurney. “Her entrenchment of lies doubling down and exaggeration increasing is something that needs to be addressed.”
He added: “There is no excuse for the hardship she has caused the victims of this case.”
Judge Nicholas Barker believed that messages purportedly sent by Green’s father to the Windermere property owner had come from the defendant herself. Judge Barker branded death and illness claims as “disgraceful statements designed to exploit the good nature of your victims.”
Concluding that Green needed specialist help, and was principle carer for her daughter, the judge suspended a 24-month prison sentence for two years. She must complete rehabilitation work, 240 hours’ community service and pay full compensation to the three victims.
*The court heard that Green had one previous conviction for theft, dating back to 2023, having stolen cash from a man she met on a dating app. She breached a community order she was given for that crime by committing the first two Lakes frauds.