Woman Given Community Order After Selling Fake Oasis Concert Tickets to Pay Debts

A 33-year-old woman has been handed a community order after admitting to selling fake tickets for an Oasis concert, defrauding multiple victims in a scheme that left losses of about £4,000.

Rosie Slater, formerly of Betley in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, used claims of having access to high-demand concert tickets—including VIP boxes at Wembley Stadium—to convince victims to send her money.

Staffordshire Police said Slater exploited her alleged connections with “wealthy, rich and famous people” to gain credibility and carry out the fraud involving 11 victims.

How the Scam Worked

At a hearing at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre, prosecutor Kyle Padley told the court that Slater offered tickets at around £130 each, with one victim purchasing 15 tickets and setting up WhatsApp groups to attract additional buyers.

Some victims reportedly paid her directly and also booked non-refundable hotel accommodation for the concert dates before discovering the tickets were fake.

“It later came out the defendant was lying,” the prosecutor told the court.

Slater later told police she had started with “good intent” but claimed the situation escalated out of control.

Sentencing and Penalties

Slater was sentenced to a 12-month community order, alongside a £40 fine and compensation payments totalling £776.98 to five victims.

She was also ordered to pay a £114 victim surcharge, £85 in costs, and complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Her defence lawyer, Simon Leech, told the court that the money was not used for luxury spending but instead to pay off household debts, including council tax.

Police Reaction

Detective Constable David Stubbs of Staffordshire Police said Slater used her past access to high-profile events to build trust with victims.

He said there was no evidence of coercion, adding that the offence appeared to be driven by greed.

“She used some of the victims to attract more victims, which caused significant anger and distress,” he said.

Ticketing Concerns Highlighted

The case comes amid wider scrutiny of concert ticket pricing and sales practices following an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into Ticketmaster over the sale of Oasis tickets.

The CMA found that fans were not clearly informed about tiered pricing during long queues, and that prices increased as cheaper tickets sold out.

It also said some “platinum” tickets were sold at significantly higher prices without offering additional benefits.

In response, the CMA said Ticketmaster must now notify customers at least 24 hours in advance when tiered pricing systems are in place.

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