Travel agent jailed

A SOUTHGATE travel agent, who swindled customers out of thousands of pounds, has been jailed for 18 months.

Ioannis Hadjiyannis ruined holidays for hundreds of people during the summer of 1999 after customers spent £150,000 on air tickets that never arrived.

Hadjiyannis, also known as Iannakis Nicholou, set up a company called Agentcrest Ltd in 1998 advertising low cost flights in the national press. He traded under the name of Ozone Travel from Ozone House, Station Road.

He was arrested earlier this year following inquiries involving Enfield Council's trading standards officers, police and customs and excise officials.

Police have not been able to recover any of the money. Trading standards revealed that Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) which appeared in the advertisements, could not protect advance payments.

Hadjiyannis was found guilty of nine counts of deception under the Theft Act 1968. He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with each of the nine counts to run concurrently when he was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on July 25.

Ray Brewer, head of trading standards, said later: "The council is delighted with the action taken. However we remain concerned that the ATOL system did not protect consumers on this occasion.

"We believe the system must be strengthened to ensure the customer does not suffer through the failures of agents of ATOL bonding members."

09:45 Thursday 8th August 2002

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