A man who described himself as Cheshire’s very own Kardashian and tricked victims out of thousands of pounds for designer handbags has been jailed.
Cheshire Police said Jack Watkin, 26, formerly of Wilmslow Road, Alderley Edge funded his fantasy Instagram influencer lifestyle by defrauding businesses and individuals to a total value of more than £200,000.
Watkin was jailed for six years at Chester Crown Court after admitting fraud and theft, and for possession of indecent photographs and making indecent images.
The court heard he used the lure of designer handbag brand Hermes as a ruse to trick people into giving him the money.
Purchasing the handbags is by invitation which makes it a lucrative investment as the resale value can be much higher than the original price.
Victims were told by Watkin he had contacts that could give access to the handbags and they could split the profits on resale.
They handed over their money in good faith, but when no bag or sign of any money from the investment opportunity arose, they would begin to ask for their money back.
But the court heard that Watkin always had excuses.
He duped one woman into handing over thousands of pounds thinking she was investing in the much sought-after luxury handbag, when in fact she was paying his bills at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
None of the victims received the handbags or their share in the profits of their resale.
The investigation was launched after the woman who inadvertently paid for his luxury hotel bill contacted the Metropolitan Police in 2022, having become suspicious of Watkin’s continued excuses.
The case was investigated by Cheshire Constabulary’s Economic Crime Unit, which unearthed a string of victims and a large amount of luxury goods, and hotel bills.
Detectives also found indecent images on his mobile phone, for which he was found guilty at a previous hearing for possession of indecent images, extreme pornography and prohibited images.
The phone that was seized on his first arrest in March 2024 had 637 indecent images, and a further 274 category A indecent images of children.
Officers also found he made 307 category B indecent images of children, 158 category C indecent images of children, possessed six extreme pornographic images of animals, and five prohibited images of children.
On his second arrest, when he was met at Macclesfield train station by officers in October 2024, his new phone was forensically downloaded and this had five category B and two category C indecent images of children as well as five category B indecent images of children.
Officers also found he had made two category C indecent images of children.
Det Con Gareth Yates, of Cheshire Constabulary Economic Crime Unit said: “Not only did Watkin deceive his victims by befriending them and taking thousands from them, but he was also hiding a depraved secret habit, sickening his victims further after his hideous secret was uncovered when his mobile phones were downloaded by specialist officers.”
Watkin “deluded himself that he was a successful rich kid influencer, but in reality, he was stealing money from wealthy individuals under the guise of ‘business opportunities’ to fund his expensive habit of fast cars, luxury goods, including Versace crockery, and designer footwear and clothing”, the detective added.
“It was never going to end well, and his downfall was inevitable. Eventually his lies caught up with him and he is now facing the consequences of his deceit, and his perversions.”
Watkin must spend 10 years registered as a sex offender, and be subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
