Whangārei ticket scammer in custody for allegedly breaching sentence

Lulu Amberlee Pou has been remanded in custody for allegedly breaching her home detention, imposed for a ticket scam.

A Whangārei woman sentenced to home detention this month for a fake ticket scam is behind bars after allegedly breaching the sentence.

Lulu Amberlee Pou was sentenced to four months' home detention on October 5 after she pleaded guilty to 49 charges of obtaining by deception relating to a fake ticket scam that netted her almost $17,000 between August 2017 and June 2018.

The 23-year-old created a number of fake Facebook identities including Bells Pou, Lulu Amberlee, Abby Knight, Lydia Mark and Hannah Johnson and, using Messenger, promised people tickets to Rhythm and Vines, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Macklemore concerts.

At least 49 victims paid $16,870 into Pou's account. Pou failed to deliver on her promises and left the keen concertgoers out of pocket with no tickets.

Pou, a Raumanga mother of two children aged 5 and 3, was given the sentence by Judge
Deidre Orchard.

However, within days of getting the sentence it's alleged Pou breached it.

She appeared in the Whangārei District Court on Monday charged with breaching home detention and was remanded in custody until October 29.

Before sentencing on October 5, Pou had served seven weeks in jail. For pleading guilty she was given a 25 per cent discount on the sentence, leaving her with four months' home detention.

Pou was ordered to pay $5000 reparation to be distributed between the victims, at $20 per week. The first payment was to be made on November 2.

Judge Orchard said Pou was not employed and did not expect to get a job so the reparation amount was fair.