Former Brookside actor Philip Barry Foster allegedly cheated thousands of aspiring models before fleeing Britain
One of Britain’s most wanted fugitives has been arrested by the Guardia Civil in Torrevieja after years on the run.
Former television actor Philip Barry Foster was wanted in the UK to serve an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence for fraud and money laundering.
Foster, best known for playing Christian Wright in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, was accused of masterminding a multimillion-euro scheme that exploited thousands of young people hoping to find fame as models.
Investigators said aspiring models and their families were promised professional opportunities and lucrative careers. Instead, they were directed to supposed agencies and photographic studios that charged substantial fees for photoshoots and portfolios.
The resulting photographs were allegedly poor quality and of little or no value within the professional modelling industry. Foster and his associates, however, collected enormous profits from the scheme.
An investigation by the UK’s National Trading Standards found that the operation ran between 2011 and 2019 and affected more than 6,000 victims.
The total fraud was estimated at £13.6 million—approximately €16 million.
British investigators alleged that Foster continued directing the criminal operation from Spain, where he was believed to have spent time in the Marbella area.
His photograph was publicly released in Alicante in May alongside those of 11 other fugitives believed to be hiding in Spain. British and Spanish authorities appealed for information from the public, while the independent charity Crimestoppers offered a confidential and anonymous route for people to report potential sightings.
Following an investigation, Guardia Civil officers tracked Foster to Torrevieja and placed him under arrest.
He now faces extradition proceedings that could see him returned to the UK to begin serving his outstanding sentence.
Foster’s capture adds to the growing number of British fugitives located in Spain. More than 250 people wanted by the UK authorities have reportedly been arrested in the country since 2019.
The case marks a dramatic fall from grace for the former actor, whose television career included appearances during Brookside’s 21-year run from 1982 to 2003.
Once known for portraying fictional drama on television, Foster now faces the prospect of returning to Britain to serve a lengthy prison sentence for a real-life fraud that devastated thousands of fame-seeking victims.
