Student avoids jail for rugby ticket scam

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A business student found a scheme to produce cash out of thin air by selling non-existent tickets for rugby’s World Cup final over the internet.

He advertised on website Gumtree and sold the fake tickets at £1200 for three to fans who wanted to go to the showpiece final between England and South Africa in Paris in October 2007.

Shabbaz Hamayun then sent empty envelopes to the supporters and tried to blame Royal Mail staff for stealing the tickets.

Yesterday at Perth Sheriff Court, the Paisley University student was ordered to carry out the maximum 240 hours community service.

He was allowed to walk free from court after Sheriff Michael Fletcher heard he had paid back almost all of the £2400 he duped from supporters.

Among Hamayun’s victims was Jonathan Elworthy, 21, from Farnborough in Hampshire. He said yesterday: “I had been to the semi-final after buying tickets on the same Gumtree website without any hassle at all.

“However daft it may sound I simply sent the money to his bank account details. He seemed very plausible when I spoke to him.

“I thought I had purchased tickets, but all he sent me back was an empty envelope.

“Me and friends had already booked flights to Paris so we went out anyway, but we had to watch the game on a big screen.”