Former Brookside actor Philip Foster is jailed after a court finds he ran a £13 million scam through sham modelling agencies across the UK. Sources report he targeted thousands of would-be models by taking money and promising placements, with operations linked to multiple cities including Manchester.

The BBC reports the judge describes Foster as having behaved with cowardice after he hides in Spain while facing the case, leading to his arrest and sentencing. The Independent adds personal context heard in court, including claims about Foster’s family circumstances, such as the reported death of his wife and the alleged murder of his son around the Christmas period. The Mirror similarly states Foster operated from Spain while the agencies were set up in several UK locations.

Across outlets, the central points remain that Foster orchestrates the fraud, that the scheme involves numerous bogus agencies and thousands of victims, and that his time on the run ends with a prison sentence.