Brookside actor who ran a network of fake modelling agencies is arrested in Spain after a year on Britain's most wanted list

A former TV soap star who ran a network of fake modelling agencies and was one of Britain's Most Wanted has been arrested on Spain's Costa Blanca.

Barry Philip Foster, 51, was held on an international arrest warrant in the town of Torrevieja, south of Alicante.

Foster played Christian Wright in the long-running Channel 4 series Brookside, which aired from 1982 to 2003.

The National Crime Agency asked for the public's help in May last year in tracking him down so he could begin an eight-and-a-half year prison sentence for fraud.

They said at the time in an appeal: 'Foster has been convicted over a fraud operation that used fake modelling agencies and photography studios to con victims out of large sums of cash.

'Victims were told they could earn money as professional models, but were instead handed poor quality, digital photographs that were not usable to secure professional jobs'

Today the Civil Guard confirmed the arrest as they released video footage showing the operation to nab Foster.

The police force said in a statement: 'The Guardia Civil has arrested another of the twelve fugitives included in the international 'Most Wanted' campaign in Orihuela Costa in the province of Alicante, launched by the United Kingdom to locate criminals linked to organized crime who could be hiding in Spain.

'The arrest took place during inquiries being carried out by the Homicide, Missing Persons and Fugitives from Justice Team of the Organic Judicial Police Unit of the Alicante Guardia Civil Command in connection with a homicide committed in the same locality.

'The progress of these inquiries led investigators to a man whose identification revealed that he was wanted by the British authorities.

'An international search and arrest warrant for extradition purposes, issued by the United Kingdom, was outstanding against him, where he has an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence pending enforcement for fraud and money laundering offences.

'The checks carried out also confirmed that he was among the twelve most wanted fugitives by the authorities of that country.

'Once his identity had been confirmed, the officers, with the support of the Citizen Security Unit (USECIC) of the Alicante Guardia Civil Command, proceeded to arrest him and searched his home, where they seized 22,000 euros in cash and several false identity documents that he had been using to identify himself, for which he is also accused of an alleged document forgery offence.'

Referencing the May arrest in La Nucia just north of Benidorm of fugitive convicted drugs smuggler Simon Dutton, a Civil Guard spokesman added: 'He is not the first fugitive from that list located in the province.

'Last May, coinciding with the presentation of the campaign in Alicante, the Guardia Civil arrested another of those wanted by the United Kingdom as part of an operation against a network engaged in drug trafficking and document forgery.

'The new detainee, a 51-year-old British national, was transferred to a duty court in Alicante so he could be placed at the disposal of the Audiencia Nacional court, which has jurisdiction over extradition matters.'

It was not immediately clear this afternoon when Foster would make his court appearance in front of an extradition judge.

The Civil Guard offered no more details about the homicide they said they had been investigating that led them to the wanted Brit, whose wife Nicola Jones is understood to have died in May, although reports say it was from natural causes.

Rick Jones, NCA deputy director international, said: 'Foster's arrest demonstrates the continued success of the most wanted campaign and our commitment to tracking down criminals wanted by UK law enforcement.

'I want to recognise the dedicated work of our colleagues in the Guardia Civil who made this arrest possible. The NCA, alongside law enforcement partners, will continue to do all we can to ensure fugitives are returned to face justice.'

Foster was known to have links to Marbella on the Costa del Sol and that was where police believed he could be in hiding.

He was handed an eight-and-a-half year prison sentence at Sheffield Crown Court in February 2025 for conspiracy to defraud.

Eight other people were sentenced in relation to the fraud and an arrest warrant was issued for Foster and an associate after both failed to appear in court.

More than 6,000 victims parted with money on the false promise of securing paid modelling work from Foster, whose address was given as Chermside Road, Liverpool, but who operated from his base in Spain.

Foster and his team would set up a photographic studio in the area and run a social media advertising campaign calling for models.

Those who responded were given the false impression a model agency was interested in them, with emails telling them they had potential.

Victims were then invited to a 'free' test shoot, which turned out to be a ruse to try to extort money out of them.

Once there, they would be handed glossy brochures and told how successful other people had been.

They would be informed that they had passed their studio test and that modelling agencies were interested, but they needed to purchase their portfolio photographs from the studio in order to join an agency and become an agency model.

Victims were duped by the group who, between them, gave a good impression of running successful model businesses and lied to them about their potential.

Millions of pounds were taken from aspiring models, with some coerced into financing the upfront payment through credit deals arranged by the fraudsters or taking out expensive payday loans.

The scam was uncovered in a six-year investigation by National Trading Standards.

NTS Chairman Lord Bichard said after the ex-actor's sentencing his 'cruel exploits left thousands of victims in serious debt, causing lasting emotional distress and significant financial pressures.