TWO hapless crooks have been made to pay after they filmed themselves discussing how to defraud loans company Wonga.

A video clip of Lee Morris and his co-accused Chantelle Beech talking about how loans could be obtained from Wonga without making payments was recovered by police from a laptop after they raided an address from where Beech was selling counterfeit goods.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Morris had Beech advertise the scam on Facebook pages belonging to her with a telephone number to call.

The ad read: “For people who have bad credit who know they can’t get a Wonga loan, phone me if you want £200 in your bank in ten minutes.”

Prosecutor Paul Cleasby said the fraudsters then began receiving calls from people “desperate for money” as word spread.

Twenty loans were applied for in all, totalling £3,400 and while some applications were successful, others were rejected.

Morris and Beech sent applicants’ details to Wonga and then advised them to cancel their bank cards once the money was in their account so the company could not take payments.

Morris, of Wicklow Street, Middlesbrough, took 50 per cent of any loan and divided it up between himself and Beech.

The 36-year-old, who was described as attempting to turn his life around, was jailed for a year by the Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton after admitting conspiracy to defraud between May 18, 2012 and May 19, 2013.

Beech, 46, of Saltersgill Avenue, Middlesbrough, also admitted conspiracy to defraud and 21 separate charges in relation to unauthorised use of trademarks between October 26, 2012 and October 11, 2013.

A total of 159 counterfeit items were seized by trading standards officers from her and included Polo by Ralph Lauren, Adidas and Nike branded clothing items, UGG footwear, Vans shoes, Vivienne Westwood jewellery and Calvin Klein underwear.

She had boasted in text messages that she had sold £21,000 worth of stock in a three week period and made £7,000 profit in the course of a fortnight.

Investigations revealed that she was obtaining the goods from a contact in Manchester and then taking orders for them over the phone or via Facebook.

Beech, who was said to have since begun a legitimate bouncy castle business, received a 12 month jail sentence, suspended for two years, an 18 month-long supervision order and was told to do 140 hours unpaid work.

Five other defendants at court – those who applied for the loans – admitted fraud.

Johnathan Sadler, 27, of Abingdon Road and Joanne Black, 37, of Ross Street, both Middlesbrough, were each given 12 month community orders and Sadler 40 hours unpaid work.

Heather Donnelly, 31, of Regent Road, Anthony Knipes, 24, of Alnwick Court and Natalie Brown, 23, of Bow Street, all Middlesbrough, each received an 18 month conditional discharge.