Woman faked her own kidnap to con ex-boyfriend out of £2k so she could buy Christmas presents

A woman who staged her own kidnapping in a failed bid to con her ex-boyfriend out of £2,000 to buy Christmas presents has been jailed.

Leah Jumeaux, 20, sent pictures of herself bound and gagged next to a gun to her former partner in October 2020, a court heard.

She posed as a kidnapper in messages and demanded a ransom of £2,000 in exchange for her own safe return.

But her plot failed when the matter was reported to the police and she was forced to admit her lies.

She admitted in an interview that she made the whole thing up as she wanted the money to buy Christmas presents for her family, the Blackpool Gazette reported.

What Leah Jumeaux was sentenced to

Jumeaux appeared before Blackpool Magistrates’ Court in September charged with blackmail and fraud by false representation.

She was bailed ahead of a trial at Preston Crown Court, but she pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of fraud on Friday.

Jumeaux, of Blackpool, Lancashire, was sentenced to 34 weeks in a young offenders institution. She must also pay a £156 victim surcharge.

‘Her behaviour and actions were bizarre’

Detective Constable Lisa Carr, of Lancashire Police, said: “Jumeaux’s behaviour and actions were bizarre.

“She staged a kidnap in a failed attempt to con money out of a former boyfriend, posing tied up with a gun next to her.

“When the matter was reported to police, Jumeaux’s story quickly fell apart, with her admitting in interview she wanted the money to buy Christmas presents for her family.

“I hope a custodial sentence will give her time to reflect the gravity of her actions and learn from her very serious mistakes.”

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