A woman who was conned by a beautician in Bolton has revealed the devastating impact it had on her life.

Rebecca McAllister was sentenced for selling courses she was not qualified to deliver and for distributing teeth whitener which were in breach of the rules.

The 32-year-old was described as having 'no means' and so no order for costs were given.

The woman from Howard Road, Warrington, was given a three year community order and ordered to attend at 45 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Mum taken to court over courses and teeth products

The offences took place when she was director of Smile Enhance Network Limited and the Smile Enhance Academy.

One woman who she offered a training course to which she was not qualified to do so was Charlie Eggenton, from Walsall.

The 42-year-old revealed the impact which the case had on her life.

She said: “It was a weight off my mind when she pleaded guilty.

“It got delayed for so long because of Covid.

“I did not feel it would ever be over.”

She said she was disappointed McAllister was not ordered to pay costs.

She added: “It affected my mental health really badly.

“I was going through IVF at the time.

“When I paid for the course I could not pay for more IVF.”

Since the incident she has managed to retrain as a beautician and in 2020 was named Best Medical Aesthetics Practitioner in England for her work.

Bolton Crown Court heard this week the town’s local authority had to spend £90,000 prosecuting McAllister.