A gambling addict ‘drowning in debt’ stole £22,000 from a woman who tried to buy a static caravan at an Isle of Wight holiday park, a court has heard.
41-year-old Charlotte Christensen, of Stroud Wood Road on the outskirts of Ryde, appeared for sentencing at Portsmouth Crown Court earlier today (Thursday), having previously admitted a single charge of fraud by false representation back in October 2025.
Holly Fagan, Crown prosecutor at today’s hearing, told the court that in August 2024, a woman was looking to purchase a caravan from Fairway Holiday Park in Sandown, where Christensen was working in the sales department.
In conversations with the client, Christensen discussed the purchase of caravans priced at either £26,000 or £35,000. The court heard how enquiries, regarding the purchase of the caravan, took place both in person and via WhatsApp.
After discussions, the 41-year-old informed the victim that she had secured a cheaper caravan priced at £22,000, and preparations for the transfer of funds got underway.
Upon instructing the woman where to send the money, Christensen gave her own personal bank details to the client over WhatsApp. Between the 22nd-29th November 2024, 4 transactions totalling the £22,000 purchase fee were deposited directly into Christensen’s account.
After the funds were transferred, contracts were signed in person, but the victim never received a copy. The court heard how Christensen told the victim that she would ‘put the details in later’.
In January 2025, the victim’s husband and daughter went to get the keys for the caravan, only to be told by another staff member that they had absolutely no record of the sale. Subsequently, the Police were informed.
After this revelation, the victim messaged Christensen on WhatsApp asking what had happened. The 41-year-old replied saying she was ‘drowning in debt’ and that she would pay it all back in 48 hours, but no money was forthcoming.
When interviewed by Police in April 2025, Christensen admitted that she had a gambling addiction and that she was hoping she would ‘win all the money back and no one would ever know’.
Reading aloud a victim personal statement, Holly Fagan detailed to the court that the victim had been left ‘unable to sleep’ following the incident and that Christensen ‘knew we were desperate’ to find somewhere to live.
Defending Christensen, her solicitor told the court that her client ‘accepts her wrongdoing’ and that she is ‘remorseful’. She added that Christensen’s addiction had ‘taken over her life’ and left her ‘compelled’ to take the money.
The full £22,000 was repaid to the victim, who is now in Thailand, just weeks ago.
Details emerged of how Christensen had previously racked up more than £50,000 in gambling debt.
Summarising, Judge Melville KC said that Christensen ‘abused her position’ and that the incident was an ‘appalling event’ for the victims.
Charlotte Christensen was handed a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years. She was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity days.
Judge Melville cited that the fact that the money had been repaid in full, and that Christensen has a young son, as reasons for suspending the sentence.
No excuses , I hope she gets her just desserts