by Keith Hunt

Fourteen people denied cheating holiday company Thomas Cook out of about £235,000 when they appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday.

The case involves the alleged fraudulent use of credit cards to pay for luxury holidays abroad, including around the Caribbean. Arrests were made at Gatwick Airport in October last year.

In the dock were Louise Allgood, 39, of Richmond Road, Gillingham, Matthew Allgood, 31, of Clark Mews, Aylesford, Rachel Allgood, 27, of William Baker House, Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford, Pauline Checksfield, 62, of Howick Close, Royal British Legion Village Aylesford, Tina Walkling, 46, of Simpson Road, Snodland, June Stacey, 43, of The Cockpit, Marden, Clive Whyte, 48, of William Baker House, Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford, Haley Donlon, 22, of Wordsworth Road, Maidstone, Christopher Farquharson, 28, of Eliot Bank, Forest Hill, south east London, Norman Pooley, 44, of Headcorn Road, Lenham, Jason McKenna, 40, of Pattenden Gardens, East Peckham, Nikki McKenna, 28, of William Baker House, Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford, Cheryl Dawson, 21, of Clive House, Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford, and Pauline McKenna, 38, of St Paul’s Close, Strood.

They all denied conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between April 1, 2008, and July 27 this year.

Rachel Allgood, Louise Allgood and Pauline McKenna also deny conspiracy to defraud Medway and Tonbridge and Malling borough councils by making council tax over payments with compromised credit card details between April 1 and July 31 2008.

Rachel Allgood, Louise Allgood, Nikki McKenna, Pauline McKenna, Pauline Checksfield and Tina Walkling deny fraud by making a false representation to Sainsburys by unlawfully using bank card details between October 1 2007 and July 31 last year.

Rachel Allgood further denies fraud by using unlawful credit card details to buy mail order catalogue goods and making a false claim that she had lost her passport.

She was granted conditional bail, while the remaining 13 are on unconditional bail.

Judge Philip Statman set a trial date for January 4 next year.