Former Brookside actor Philip Barry Foster arrested on Costa Blanca over £13.6m fraud

Philip Barry Foster, a former actor in the popular British soap Brookside, was arrested on 17 September in the Orihuela Costa area. The 51-year-old Briton was one of the fugitives sought by UK authorities. He now faces extradition proceedings.

Foster was arrested by Guardia Civil officers under an international arrest warrant. The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that he was detained on 17 September in the Alicante area and that proceedings to return him to Britain have already begun. (Agencia Nacional del Crimen)

British authorities had been looking for Foster after he was convicted of fraud and money laundering. In February 2025, Sheffield Crown Court sentenced him in his absence to eight and a half years in prison. Foster had breached his bail conditions before the trial and fled. (Agencia Nacional del Crimen)

From television to a fraud network

To British television viewers, Foster was best known for his acting career. During the 1990s he played Christian Wright in Brookside, the long-running Channel 4 soap set in Liverpool. He was also credited under the name Philip Dowd.

Years later, his activities became linked to a major fraud operation targeting the modelling industry.

According to National Trading Standards, the investigation lasted six years. Foster and his associates created a network of sham modelling agencies and photography studios. Young people hoping to enter professional modelling, often accompanied by their parents, were promised opportunities to obtain legitimate work.

The process initially appeared straightforward. A potential model would respond to an advertisement or photographic offer. They would then be told they had modelling potential and offered a professional portfolio. Significant sums were charged for photographs and related services.

In the end, customers received poor-quality digital photographs that gave them little realistic chance of obtaining professional modelling work. According to British authorities, more than 6,000 people were affected and the fraud amounted to approximately £13.6 million. (The Sun)

Money, cars and luxury watches

Investigators found that the network operated for more than eight years. Sham agencies and photography studios operated in several British cities, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry and Nottingham.

Some customers were offered credit arrangements or payday loans to cover the cost of their portfolios. For most, however, the promised modelling career never materialised.

British investigators said Foster used his share of the proceeds to fund an expensive lifestyle, including cars and luxury watches. Meanwhile, numerous victims told investigators about the serious financial consequences of the fraud. (The Sun)

How he was found in Spain

Foster eventually moved to Spain and spent some time living on the Costa del Sol. He later moved along the coast to the Costa Blanca.

In May 2026, his photograph was included in a campaign featuring 12 British fugitives wanted by authorities who believed they could be in Spain. The campaign was organised by the NCA together with Crimestoppers, Spanish law-enforcement agencies and Spain's Interior Ministry. (Agencia Nacional del Crimen)

According to Spanish reports, the investigation that led to Foster's discovery was carried out by a Guardia Civil team specialising in homicide, missing persons and fugitives from justice. Investigators came across Foster while pursuing a homicide investigation in the same area. They subsequently established his identity and discovered that the UK had issued an international arrest warrant for extradition purposes. (Sur in English)

During a search of his home, according to information released by the Guardia Civil, officers found €22,000 in cash and several forged identity documents which he allegedly used for identification. Spanish authorities are also investigating an alleged document-forgery offence. (Sur in English)

What happens next

Following his arrest, Foster was placed at the disposal of the Spanish judicial authorities. As British authorities are seeking his extradition, the case will now proceed through the Spanish courts responsible for extradition matters.

The NCA describes Foster as the fourth man featured in its latest Most Wanted campaign to have been arrested. The agency specifically thanked the Guardia Civil for its cooperation and said that joint work between British and Spanish law-enforcement agencies would continue. (Agencia Nacional del Crimen)

Foster's story almost sounds like a plot written for British television: a familiar soap actor, a years-long fraud operation, a flight from Britain and, finally, an arrest on the Costa Blanca. But the final chapter will now unfold not on a television set, but in the Spanish justice system.