A WOMAN who conned retailers and other businesses out of thousands of pounds worth of cash while indulging on a ‘veritable tsunami of dishonesty’ has been sentenced to a ten-year prison term. 

Narinder Kaur, 54, formerly known as Nina Tiara, of Chosen Hill in Cleverton, Wiltshire, ripped off major high street retailers to the tune of half-a-million pounds between 2015 and 2019.

The high street stores that were hit more than a thousand times between them included Boots, Debenhams, John Lewis, Monsoon, Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser and TK Maxx. 

The nationwide investigation was led by West Mercia Police and its investigators followed leads which traversed the breadth of Britain.

It is estimated Kaur netted around £2,000 worth of refunds per week, equating to over £500,000 in fraudulent refunds and stolen goods. 

Knowing that she was under investigation for these offences, Kaur then embarked upon a scheme to defraud other businesses using the dishonestly obtained credit card details of members of the public.

Kaur’s trial had originally been planned to be held at Worcester Crown Court, but due to the backlog of cases that had built up during the covid-19 pandemic, the case was transferred to Gloucester and was initially listed for six weeks. 

But due to the complexity of the case she was found guilty following a three month trial on March 10, 2023 of 26 counts of fraud, money laundering and perverting the course of justice.

Numerous attempts have been made to sentence Kaur over the past 16 months but this had proved difficult main because of the niumber of lawyers involved and court availability.

Prosecutor Gareth Weetman told the court that Kaur had made her fraudulent activity ‘a full-time and lucrative endeavour’.

“This was inherently sophisticated offending with sustained planning, carried out over a five-year period with a large number of victims,” he said and added that Kaur would rely on the goodwill of cashiers or store managers by telling them sob stories about sick relatives to commit her crimes.

The jury were originally told that the largest single fraud was committed against Boots. An examination of her numerous bank and credit card accounts showed she had visited stores in Cheltenham, Malvern, Solihull, Droitwich, Kidderminster, Dudley and Smethwick.

The court was told that Kaur has a number of previous convictions and most of these were hallmarked by dishonesty.

Fraud investigator, Steve Tristram, from West Mercia Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This sentence today sends out a clear message that West Mercia Police will deal seriously with prolific fraudsters.

“Kaur is a calculated individual who committed offences across the country, dishonestly claiming refunds on items she had stolen. 

“She showed no remorse of her actions and even thought she would get away with submitting false documents to the court with the intention of perverting the course of justice.

“West Mercia Police took ownership of the investigation into Narinder Kaur in 2018. Working with National Business Crime Solution, an organisation representing retailers, and other police forces as a multi-agency approach, we were able to investigate further into her criminal activity and found fraudulent activity in her bank accounts which subsequently brought her to justice.”

Judge Ian Lawrie KC sentenced Kaur in her absence as she had refused to leave her prison cell and said: “If Kaur had shown courage in confronting her offending these sentencing remarks that would have been directed to her in person. 

“You indulged in a veritable tsunami of dishonesty and deceit on a varied assortment of victims. The majority of that dishonesty and deceit was carried out over a significant range of retail outlets covering an extensive geographical area from North to South, Warrington to Plymouth and from East to West London Colney to Swansea.

“The victims of your habitual dishonesty and deceit were mainly well known retail outlets. However, your criminal ambition reached beyond retail outlets because other varied victims were caught up in the in the slipstream of your persistent and calculated criminal activity, numerous solicitor firms cast across an equally broad geographical area, an energy company, a local authority, Wiltshire, Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court and Worcester Crown Court.

“There seems to have been no limit to your offending, all of which was conducted with resolute persistence, unburdened by restraint or inhibition. The financial rewards of your offending were significant.”

The judge pointed out that the sentencing exercise was complicated because of the differing offences committed across the five-year period and Kaur’s reluctance to confront her offending.

Judge Lawrie observed that a number of the offences were committed whilst Kaur was either on bail and/or of a nature, such as perverting the course of justice.

“The collective scale and gravity of these offences means the court is left with no alternative option but to impose a significant term of custody,” Judge Lawrie said.

“I am required to impose a sentence which reflects the criminality of your overall offending behaviour across these 26 counts I have to ensure however that the total sentence is just and proportionate. It can be truly said no evidential stone was left unturned and explored during the trial which was effectively a ‘job lot’ of offences.”

Judge Lawrie pointed out that Kaur’s mitigation was limited but accepted there had been a prolonged delay and she had a number of health issues. He also acknowledged that Kaur had begun rehabilitative activity whilst in custody.

Judge Lawrie concluded: “I am concerned that Kaur’s offending was stubbornly persistent and on a near Olympian scale. It showed careful calculation and planning but also brazen arrogance in executing the criminal acts at a geographically diverse variety of retail outlets 

“When Kaur commits any offence or offences she can be brazen and commit repeat offences without any sense of restraint or hesitation.”

Judge Lawrie sentenced Kaur to a prison term of 10 years and warned her that she faces a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing in due course.