A fraudster who used a fake name to purchase a brand-new £45,000 BMW and then defaulted on payments after just two months has been sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years. Christopher Hudson, 44, of Sunray Avenue in Bromley, was also ordered to pay prosecution costs, a victim surcharge totalling over £1,000, and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
Hudson bought the 320i M-Sport from a local dealership under the alias Jeremy Trodwell, but quickly stopped making payments on the vehicle. After five months of silence, Hudson contacted the finance company, falsely claiming that he had been hospitalized with COVID-19 for two months and promising to catch up on payments once he was discharged. Despite this claim, no further payments were made, and the finance company terminated his agreement, ordering the repossession of the BMW.
However, when attempts were made to recover the car from the registered address in Hampton, Peterborough, the vehicle was nowhere to be found. Eventually, Hudson and the BMW were tracked down at Gatwick Airport in August 2022. When confronted, Hudson initially claimed the car belonged to his friend Jeremy Trodwell and was unaware of the payment status. Lacking identification and proof of insurance, Hudson eventually admitted that he had previously gone by the name Jeremy Trodwell.
Hudson later pleaded guilty to fraud, admitting that he had no intention of paying for the vehicle when he secured the finance.
PC Christopher Ogden, who led the investigation for Cambridgeshire Police, condemned Hudson’s actions. “It’s quite clear Hudson never had any intention of paying for the vehicle when he took out the finance. He used a different name, a false address, and claimed he was seriously ill with Covid, all to avoid making payments,” Ogden said.
“His fraudulent behaviour cost the finance company thousands of pounds and months of hassle. It’s an insult to other law-abiding citizens who live within their means and pay their dues. If you can’t afford a brand-new BMW, you can’t have one.”
Hudson’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime, but he has avoided immediate jail time, provided he adheres to the terms of his suspended sentence and community service.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to taking fraud cases seriously and pursuing justice for victims of financial crime.
