Current timestamp: 15/05/2025 01:52:31
AgeAlertAnonymousAppealsApplicationsApply Or RegisterArea OutlineArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow UpAutomatic DoorsBack ArrowBusinessCalendarCashArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow Down[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-chrome' for 'English (United Kingdom)']ClockCloseContactDirectionsDocumentDownloadDrawDrugExpandExternal LinkFacebookFb CommentFb LikeFiletype DefaultFiletype DocFiletype PdfFiletype PptFiletype XlsFinance[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-firefox' for 'English (United Kingdom)']First AidFlickrFraudGive FeedbackGlobeGuide DogHealthHearing ImpairedInduction LoopInfoInstagramIntercom[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-internet-explorer' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LaptopLiftLinkedinLocal Activity[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-location' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LoudspeakerLow CounterMailMapMap PinMembershipMenuMenu 2[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-microsoft-edge' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Missing PeopleMobility ImpairmentNationalityNorth PointerOne Mile RadiusOverviewPagesPaper PlaneParkingPdfPhonePinterestPlayPushchairRefreshReportRequestRestart[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-rotate-clockwise' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Rss[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-safari' for 'English (United Kingdom)']SearchShareSign LanguageSnapchatStart AgainStatsStats And Prevention AdviceStopSubscribeTargetTattosTell Us AboutTickTumblrTwenty Four HoursTwitter LikeTwitter ReplyTwitter RetweetUploadVisually ImpairedWhatsappWheelchairWheelchair AssistedWheelchair ParkingWheelchair RampWheelchair WcYoutubeZoom InZoom Out

Leave this site

Cookies

We use some essential cookies to make our website work. We’d like to set additional cookies so we can remember your preferences and understand how you use our site.

You can manage your preferences and cookie settings at any time by clicking on “Customise Cookies” below. For more information on how we use cookies, please see our Cookies notice.

Accept cookies Reject cookies Customise cookies

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can update your cookie settings at any time on the cookies page.

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can update your cookie settings at any time on the cookies page.

Sorry, there was a technical problem. Please try again.

Skip to main content

Skip to main navigation

Welcome

This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.

Show me the site

North Yorkshire Police crest

  • Back to Report

    • Crime
    • Domestic abuse
    • Rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences
    • Road traffic incident
    • Report antisocial behaviour
    • Missing person
    • Fraud, bribery or corruption
    • Spiking
    • Stalking or harassment
    • Lost or found property
    • Lost or stolen vehicles
    • Hate crime
  • Back to Tell us about

    • Tell us about possible terrorist activity
    • How to tell us about something you've seen or heard
    • An existing case or report
    • A procession or event you are planning
    • Filming
  • Back to Apply or register

    • Careers
    • Charity collection licences
    • Compensation for victims of crime
    • Firearm, shotgun or explosives certificate
    • Attend a misconduct hearing
    • Pedlar's certificate
  • Back to Request

    • A collision report
    • Intellectual property (IP) licence
    • Compensation for something the police have done
    • Fingerprints
    • Information: about the police, about yourself or someone else
    • Request an update
  • Back to Thanks and complaints

    • Feedback about the website
    • Complaints
    • Say thanks

Multi-agency investigation results in jail for prolific York fraudster

Main article content

Court results
Published: 17:22 01/02/2022

A prolific fraudster from York who made more than £100,000 from his criminal enterprise has been jailed for three years following a “complex” multi-agency investigation.

North Yorkshire Police teamed up with British Transport Police (BTP) and South Yorkshire Police on an operation to bring the 26-year-old man to justice for a series of scams that spanned 17 months.

Nicholas Arran Whiteside (pictured), of Holgate Road, appeared at Inner London Crown Court on 21 October 2021 where he pleaded guilty to 18 counts of fraud.

 

image6tzrm.png

 

On Friday 28 January 2022, a judge sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment.

For nearly two years, across 2018 and 2019, Whiteside conducted fraudulent operations targeting rail ticket providers, retail outlets, a health club and individuals including his work colleagues.

In that time, he used fraudulently obtained bank cards to purchase train tickets via Trainline’s website – making over 100 bookings in total.

His activity forced Trainline to issue chargebacks which resulted in tens of thousands of pounds in losses for the company.

Whiteside also conned retail outlets in Sheffield which entailed him purchasing pre-paid gift cards from Meadowhall Shopping Centre again using fraudulent bank cards.

He would then use these gift cards to purchase high-value items such as laptops and iPads.

Alongside these large-scale scams, he was also targeting individuals.

In the summer of 2019, he offered heavily discounted tickets for travel and entertainment to his work colleagues.

By the time they identified the tickets as fake, Whiteside had resigned from the organisation.

His fraudulent activity also targeted a health club by setting up a corporate account for 200 employees, a car garage to hire and use an expensive car and a letting company to rent apartments across York.

DS Kyle Boad, of North Yorkshire Police’s York and Selby Investigation Hub, said: “Nicholas Whiteside has caused nothing but misery and anguish to the many victims he has targeted over the years, including those in York and North Yorkshire and around the country.

“Motivated solely by greed, he has lied and cheated his way at every turn with the ruthless intention of defrauding innocent people and businesses.

“His offending is truly abhorrent, and he deserves nothing less than a significant period of time in prison.”

 

DC Adrienne Curzon, BTP’s investigating officer in the case, said: “Whiteside’s relentless offending targeted an array of individuals and businesses, he had no set victim and aimed to defraud anyone he could for his own financial greed.

“Working closely with our policing colleagues at North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire on this complex investigation was essential to ensuring he faced justice and was sufficiently punished for his criminal enterprise.

“I hope he spends his time behind bars wisely and considers a new career path on the right side of the law for when he returns to the community.”

 

DS Sam Erabadda, of South Yorkshire Police’s Fraud Coordination Team, said: “This was a considered campaign of deceit in which Whiteside acted with complete dishonesty and defrauded a number of blameless victims out of significant sums of money.

“Fortunately, after working closely with the British Transport Police and colleagues in North Yorkshire, we were able to identify Whiteside as the criminal responsible and bring him to justice.

“I hope this sentencing will act as a warning to anyone else carrying out organised fraudulent activity, and to any others who may in the future try to abuse and exploit innocent people and businesses trust.”

Share

Is there a problem with this page?

Footer navigation

North Yorkshire Police

  • Contact us
  • Find a police station
  • Jobs and volunteering
  • About us
  • News
  • Your area
  • Campaigns
  • Terms and conditions
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy notice

Information and services

  • Advice and information
  • Crime prevention advice
  • Stats and data
  • Accessing information
  • Report
  • Tell us about
  • Apply or register
  • Request
  • Feedback

Partners

  • Partner services
  • Office for policing, fire, crime and commissioning
  • Public Safety Service
  • Ask the police

Follow us on:

© Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.