Faking the Mickey

EXCLUSIVE: Family conned out of £16k Disney hol by pal

A FORMER British Airways worker conned a pal out of £16,000 by pretending she could get her family a cheap trip to Disney World.

Holly Barber fooled Kerry Vincent into believing she still worked for the airline.

Barber, 27, even wore her old uniform from her check-in role at Heathrow, when they met up.

Scam ... Holly Barber Brad Wakefield

She convinced Kerry to hand over £16,000 so 35 members of her family, including nine kids, could go on holiday to the Florida resort in August last year.

Barber said she booked the 14-night break through BA’s staff discount scheme but urged Kerry not to contact the airline directly in case she got into trouble.

When she was pressed for the tickets, Barber kept making excuses, a court heard.

Frozen out ... Leah Arthur Edwards

Finally Kerry, 32, drove to Heathrow to see her but discovered she had left BA the previous year. Barber resigned amid a probe into her alleged “erratic behaviour”.

Kerry, of Bordon, Hants, then realised there was no dream trip.

She and partner Lee Turpin, 30, had to break the devastating news to their family, including her kids Leah, seven, and Oliver, 11.

Heartbreak ... some of the family Arthur Edwards

Barber, of Aldershot, Hants, was yesterday jailed for nine months after admitting fraud at Winchester Crown Court.

Her barrister Damian Hayes said: “She found it difficult to admit she had lost her job, even to herself. She hid it from her friends and family.”

Shattered dream ... Characters as Disney World

Barber, who spent some of the money on a St Bernard pup and for her fella to watch Chelsea, is on benefits and cannot pay the sum back, Mr Hayes added.

Kerry said: “Holly’s betrayal destroyed me. I don’t know how she thought she’d get away with it.”